In the Same Candlelight
by Like A Dove
Summary: In a world where there is no war, Zuko and Katara spend their summers together. Growing up is messy, embarrassing, and at times sad, but they think it might be okay because they have each other. Edited summary.
1. One and Three

**A/N:**

**Okay. I decided I wanted to write a story that's basically dedicated to fluff. And what's cuter than kid!Zutara? Very few things.**

**This is a complete AU. Things of importance:**

- **There was no war, so all four nations are at peace and have been for the past century.**

- **Aang IS the Avatar. But he's fairly old. Yes, he'll be making appearances.**

- **Royal families often visit each other for political and personal reasons. It is important for the established peace for everyone to be acquainted with one another.**

- **In the case of this story, Hakoda and Ozai knew each other growing up. They aren't exactly friends, but they agree upon keeping with tradition and letting their children visit with each other once a year.**

**That's your basic information. More differences will be revealed as the story progresses. **

**This story is not my top priority, so the updates will be sporadic. The next update could be tomorrow or in a week. For now the chapters will read like drabbles until I decide on a set chapter length.**

**Enjoy and review!**

* * *

><p>"No, worm. You have to stay," three year old Zuko admonishes, covering the slimy, wiggly creature with fresh dirt. Mother had said that worms liked dirt, so Zuko was making sure the worm was happy.<p>

He pats the mound of dirt gently, before smiling to himself. "There," he says proudly.

"Zuko!"

He perks his head up when he hears his mother calling before standing, wandering over to the bush where the pretty flowers grow and then plucking one off.

He rushes towards the direction of his mother's voice as fast as his little legs can carry him.

Zuko loves his mother very much. When she tucks him in for bed at night she sings to him. She plays games in the gardens with him when there's nothing to do. When his father is too busy for him, she takes him to the library and shows him stories with pictures. When he is sad she wraps him up in a big, comforting hug.

Zuko has decided that his mother is the very best mother in the entire world.

When he finally reaches his mother he presents the pretty flower to her. She takes the flower out of his hand and smiles down at him. Zuko has decided that his mother has the prettiest smile in the world.

"Thank you." She takes his hand and begins to lead him into the palace. "Do you remember what today is, Zuko?"

The three year old nods excitedly. "It's Special Guest Day!" he exclaims.

She grins down at him. "That's right! And guess what?"

"What?"

"Our guests are here!"

Zuko stops in the middle of the hallway. His mother gives him a concerned look.

Zuko suddenly feels nervous because it finally clicks.

He's about to meet _strangers._

* * *

><p>The Chief of the Southern Water Tribe is very scary.<p>

He looms over Zuko, and he has a funny beard and a big, booming laugh. His wife is standing off to the side. Zuko decides that she is pretty, maybe even as pretty as his mother. Maybe. The Chief's son is a year younger then Zuko, and he's sitting by his father's feet staring at Zuko with the same sort of curiosity that Zuko is staring at him with.

They have a daughter too. She's two years younger than Zuko, and she's fast asleep against her mother's chest. Zuko decides that he'll further assess her later.

Suddenly the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe is kneeling in front of Zuko, a large smile on his face.

"Hello, Prince Zuko. I'm Hakoda."

Zuko realizes with a sinking feeling that if he's going to act like a big boy like his father encourages him to, he should probably step out from behind his mother's leg.

So he does. It's scary.

"Hi."

"I hear you're a firebender."

Zuko nods. He had managed to produce a tiny flame several months ago.

"There are very talented firebenders in your family. If you practice hard enough, I'm sure you'll be very powerful." Chief Hakoda offers him another smile before standing back up.

Zuko decides that the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe isn't so scary.

* * *

><p>Mother has told Zuko in the past that he should love Azula because she's his baby sister.<p>

Zuko doesn't think that's a good enough reason.

Azula bites.

And screams.

And cries.

All at dinner.

Zuko notices that the girl from the Southern Water Tribe (her name is Katara, he learns) likes to giggle a lot. She sits calmly through dinner, only occasionally refusing the food that her mother offers her. She smiles a lot too, he notices.

Zuko decides that she is nice. Maybe he could convince mother and father to trade Azula for Katara. Katara probably wouldn't bite him.

* * *

><p>Zuko has decided that the boy from the Southern Water Tribe, Sokka, is not that much fun to play with.<p>

All Sokka wants to do is play with his boomerang. Even after Zuko invites him to explore with him, the other boy is content to play with his small wooden toy all day.

After wandering around in the gardens for well over an hour, Zuko walks back to the nursery to find Azula and Katara playing with blocks.

"Zuzu!" Azula squeals happily when she sees him. "Pway!"

Zuko sits down in front of his sister, gently taking the red block out of her hands and stacking it with the others. He glances up to see a pair of big blue eyes inspected the red blocks with curiosity (hers are yellow). Katara scoots towards them a bit before reaching out to inspect a red block.

"_KatKat nnnnnnnoooooo!_" Azula screams at the top of her lungs. She grabs one of her blocks and smacks Katara's arm with it.

The other girl promptly bursts into tears.

Zuko feels bad for her. He knows what it's like to be on the receiving end of Azula's one year old wrath. The nurses in the room are looking over with concern, but Zuko is a big boy. He can handle the situation.

Mother always hugs Zuko when he's upset, so he decides that if he hugs Katara, she'll stop crying too.

So he does.

He stands up, steps over to the crying girl and wraps his arms around her.

The girl stills. She shoves him away with surprising strength, an affronted look on her face.

Zuko lands on his haunches.

However, he notices that her tears have dried up, so maybe his hug did the trick.

Katara picks up one of her yellow blocks and flings it at him. It hits him squarely in the forehead.

She giggles.

Zuko decides that he doesn't like Katara very much. He won't ask mother and father to trade Katara for Azula after all.


	2. Two and Four

**A/N:**

**Thanks for all of the reviews! As you can see, this chapter is short like the last one. They'll be this length for a little while, but as the kids get older they'll get a lot longer, trust me.**

**Enjoy and let me know what you think!**

* * *

><p>Zuko is having tea with his mother and his Uncle Iroh. He's put four cubes of sugar into his tiny teacup because he hates how bitter tea tastes. As he lifts the cup to his lips he tries very hard not to spill the hot drink onto himself.<p>

He decides that the tea needs to be sweeter. He drops in another sugar cube. There's now a white, sugary film coating the bottom of his cup.

"Zuko," his mother scolds lightly with a frown. "You don't need to put so much sugar in your tea!"

"Oh, let him. The boy likes what he likes." Uncle Iroh grins down at him before adding a couple of sugar cubes into his own tea in support.

This is why Zuko likes his Uncle Iroh. He's always smiling and agreeing with him, and he never lets mother and father scold him too much. Uncle Iroh is fun, and so is his son, Lu Ten. But Lu Ten is fourteen now and doesn't have time for tea.

Zuko puts his tea cup back down and sits up a little straighter, determined to be like a grown up.

Uncle Iroh turns his attention back to Zuko's mother. "When are Chief Hakoda and his family arriving again?"

Mother openly perks up at this. "Three days!" she exclaims with excitement.

Zuko's good mood immediately sours. _Katara _would be visiting.

A spot on his forehead throbs at the thought of her.

"Stupid block," he grumbles. His Uncle and his mother give him looks of surprise. He simply picks up another sugar cube and shoves it straight into his mouth.

* * *

><p>All of Zuko's favorite foods are being served at Chief Hakoda and his family's welcoming feast.<p>

Zuko decides that maybe there are _some _benefits to them visiting after all.

Plus, Chief Hakoda gave Zuko a small wooden boomerang, like the one Sokka had been playing with last summer. Zuko prefers his wooden sword, but he decides that this is a nice addition to his collection of weapons. He also has a slingshot that Lu Ten has fastened for him.

Chief Hakoda also brought Azula a Water Tribe doll. She's has already ripped off some of the doll's hair. It doesn't matter. Dolls are stupid. Zuko's gift is far superior.

Zuko is innocently enjoying his egg custard when he looks up across the table. Azula and Katara are sitting next to each other. Both girls are giggling about something. Zuko decides that toddler matters are beneath him, and therefore he didn't need to pay attention to them.

It was his first mistake.

A moment later egg custard splatters across his face.

Everyone laughs. Zuko is not amused.

* * *

><p>Zuko cannot believe he's drawn something so utterly incredible.<p>

It's the best picture he's ever done. It's of mother and Uncle Iroh drinking tea. Mother looks so lifelike! Granted, he ran out of yellow paint so her skin is green, but still. He didn't forget the fingers this time, so he feels like this is a great accomplishment.

He picks up his picture off the grass with every intention of finding his mother and giving it to her. She'll hang it up in the library, where she hangs up all of his pictures. He feels like this one deserves to be in the center.

A little brown hand snatches it away from him, and then Katara is toddling away, his prized picture in her grasp.

"Give it back!" he yells, running after her.

"No!" She starts to toddle faster, her grip on his picture tightening.

Zuko freezes when she realizes that she's headed right towards Sokka.

Zuko knows that little sister trick! She's going to take refuge behind her big brother.

He wants to scream in frustration. There was no honor in that.

Zuko usually holds himself to a high standard when it comes to fighting his own battles. But this time…this time he'd have to be drastic. He was going to have to tattle.

He was going to tell mother about Katara's theft. Justice would be swift.

He finds his mother and Katara's mother (Kaya) just around the corner, sitting by the turtle duck pond.

"Mom!" he whines, rushing up to her and grabbing her leg. "Katara took my picture!"

He's not sure if he should cry or not. That might be too much.

His mother pats his head reassuringly. "I'm sure she'll give it back if you ask nicely."

Zuko can't quite wrap his mind around this concept. "But… She took my picture!"

His mother simply tucks a stray lock of hair behind his ear.

She obviously does not understand the gravity of the situation.

Then someone pokes him in the shoulder. He turns his head to see Katara dropping his picture by his feet. His picture is now creased and smudged with dirt. With her tiny fist she smacks him lightly in the shoulder. The little girl lets out a squeal of mirth before ducking behind her mother's leg. A second later she was peering shyly at him from around said leg.

"Ursa! Look how adorable they are together!" Kaya picks up Katara and places her in her lap.

"I know! Didn't I tell you?" Both women then collapse into laughter.

Zuko is thoroughly confused.

"Zuko," his mother begins, and he looks up at her cautiously. "You should be nicer to little Katara. Who knows, maybe you two will get married one day."

He lets this sink in for a moment.

His eyes widen. What a _terrible _idea!

"Gross!" He turns his back and stomps away, completely disgusted by that _blasphemy._

He would never be able to marry Katara! Especially if she kept hitting him with things!


	3. Three and Five

**A/N:**

**Thanks for the reviews! They make me smile!**

**Some of you were wondering what ages Katara and Zuko are in each chapter. All you need to do is take a glance at the chapter titles. ;)**

**Enjoy and let me know what you think!**

* * *

><p>Zuko feels bad for Chief Hakoda. He's obviously in way over his head.<p>

Mother and Kaya have gone off to the marketplace to shop (boring), Ozai is in a meeting, and Uncle Iroh and Lu Ten are on a trip.

This leaves only Chief Hakoda to watch them.

Zuko, Sokka, Katara and Azula are all out in the garden, searching for something to do. They've already drawn, had music time, played tag, had story time, and they'd already run around in circles for fifteen minutes.

Hakoda is at his wit's end, Zuko can tell.

Suddenly Sokka perks up. "Let's have snack time!"

All the other children agree, and Hakoda looks somewhat relieved. He leaves them for five minutes and makes a trip to the kitchen.

Zuko is used to Mother serving him dumplings, or rice balls, or fruit, or (Agni forbid) _vegetables_ as snacks. Hakoda, however, brings back a plethora of glorious and delectable foods.

There's sesame seed buns, almond cookies, sponge cakes, steamed pears filled with honey, and banana fritters! Zuko has no idea what to chose, so he, along with the other children, take one of everything. Logic!

Ten minutes later Azula and Katara are screaming at the top of their lungs while they rip up flowers and throw around dirt. Hakoda is trying to get them to stop ruining the flower bed.

Zuko and Sokka are much more dignified (they are _boys _after all), and instead they run around a tree shouting about warriors and evil rhinos.

"Let's climb the tree!" Sokka shouts.

Zuko decides that making friends with Sokka was smart. He always has such great ideas!

They manage to make it past the first branch off of the ground, narrating their "adventure" the whole time.

"Hurry Zuko! The Evil Rhinos are gonna attack us!"

Zuko is _trying_ to hurry, but this second branch is shaky!

"_GET DOWN FROM THAT TREE RIGHT THIS INSTANT!"_

Zuko and Sokka both freeze. They look down to see two very angry looking mothers peering up at them from the ground.

The two boys are sent to the Time Out Corner, and are told to think about why they should be more careful when they play. Azula and Katara are sent to take baths.

Zuko thinks that he and Sokka got off better then Chief Sokka, though. He's been in time out for almost thirty minutes and he can _still _hear Kaya yelling at him.

* * *

><p>No one likes to play Hide and Seek except for Zuko.<p>

Zuko doesn't quite understand this. It's not his fault that they all pick such lousy hiding places, and it's most certainly not his fault that he's so good at finding them.

Sokka hides in the kitchens.

Azula hides either in the room where weapons are displayed or under Zuko's bed.

Katara hides in her bathroom or in the garden by the turtle duck pond.

Today Zuko has convinced them all to play Hide and Seek, and they go off reluctantly to hide while he counts.

Zuko finds Sokka and Azula easily. They both grumble and complain as they make their way back to the nursery in order to wait for him and Katara. Zuko ignores them. He is triumphant once again!

He checks her bathroom. She isn't there. He walks into the garden by the turtle duck pond, knowing he'll find her.

Except…she isn't there either.

Zuko starts to feel a little bit uncomfortable. He looks through the rest of the gardens, doesn't find her. He looks through all of the other bathrooms, doesn't find her. He goes to the kitchen to look, thinking maybe she had gotten hungry, doesn't find her. He searches all through her room, doesn't find her.

Zuko is starting to get worried.

He looks into practically every room in the palace, even going so far as to check the throne room, but he doesn't find her.

Now he's starting to panic. He makes his way to the playroom because that's where Mother and Kaya are.

By the time he reaches the playroom he's in tears because Katara probably got abducted by some evil monster and it's all his fault because he didn't find her in time.

Now he's practically sobbing.

When he walks into the playroom Mother stands up in concern.

"Zuko, what's wrong?"

"I-I c-can't find K-K-Katara!" he chokes out, tears falling down his cheeks.

His mother looks confused. "Sweetie, Katara is right over there."

He looks to his left and sees her playing dolls with Azula.

_She had been hiding in the playroom._

Zuko is furious. He'd been outsmarted! But he'll worry about that later; right now he has to wipe the tears off of his face. He must get rid of the evidence.

Except both of the girls turn around and spot him before he can wipe them all off. Azula laughs but the smile on Katara's face fades quickly. "Zuko, why're you crying?" She stands up, still clutching her doll, and starts to make her way over to him.

Zuko high tails it out of the playroom, frustrated.

He doesn't like it when girls see him cry. Especially Katara.

He makes his way back over to the kitchens, knowing that that's where Sokka would be since he wasn't in the playroom.

Sokka (his fellow warrior brother) must _never _know that he cried over his little sister. Sokka would never let him hear the end of it.


	4. Four and Six

**A/N:**

**Thanks for the reviews you guys! They help urge me to write!**

**I decided to switch things up a bit, so this chapter is from Katara's POV. I think I'll switch off their POV's from now on to keep things fresh. **

**Review and let me know what you think!**

* * *

><p>Katara <em>loves <em>story time. It's by far her favorite part of the evening (Sokka's is dinner), but there's something about curling up under her furs and listening to her mother talk about wolves, handsome waterbenders, and the beautiful fish people who live deep within the sea that makes her happy.

Tonight is a very exciting night for Katara. Tomorrow morning they'll leave on a ship just as the sun rises, and that ship will take them across the ocean to the Fire Nation. And then she'll see her friends Azula and Zuko, and Auntie Ursa!

Katara _loves _spending her summers in the Fire Nation. It's warm there, and there's yummy food (fruit)! And pretty flowers! And the people there can make fire with their hands!

Except, Zuko can still only manage a small flame. But that's okay. Katara thinks he'll be a really grand firebender one day, like his Uncle Iroh.

"Katara, sweetie, are you ready for bed?"

Katara nods from where she is on her pallet, wiggling under her mountain of furs and tucking her bangs behind her ears.

Her mother sits on the fur covered floor beside her. They have a nice home, a little bit nicer than all the others who live in their massive village, Katara notices. Daddy says that this is because they're the ruling family.

Katara doesn't really understand what's so special about decision-making, but she thinks that maybe that's a grownup thing.

"What story did you want to hear tonight?"

Katara stills underneath her furs. That's such a tough question.

"I want to hear about Kesuk and his wolves and how they rescued Princess Nukka," she finally decides. She _loves _hearing that story. It's her favorite.

Her mother furrows her eyebrows. "You wanted to hear that story last night."

"But….but it's my favorite. Especially the wolves! They're my favorite Original Species." (Sokka's favorite Original Species is the bear. Katara thinks that's boring.)

Her mother laughs, gently tucking more hair behind her ears. "Alright alright." She stills her hand and clears her throat. "There once was a great waterbender named Kesuk, and he befriended a pack of wolves. Together they kept the Southern Water Tribe safe from invaders and evil creatures. One day, the Princess Nukka was kidnapped. So Kesuk, who was in love with the princess, set out with his wolves in order to find her and rescue her…"

* * *

><p>"…so Kesuk and his wolves rescue Princess Nukka and they live happily ever after!"<p>

Katara holds out her arms, dramatically finishing her story. She thinks she told it pretty well. She might have lacked a bit in the details (she forgot the name of the evil monster who captures Nukka), but still! It was her favorite story and she just knew her friends would like it.

Azula is clapping for her, her disfigured dolls spread out before her. This reminds Katara than she needs to find a special place to hide her dolls before Azula sees them.

Sokka is asleep, laying out flat on the grass. But that's okay; his opinion doesn't matter because he's just her brother.

Zuko looks like he's thinking over something, which greatly worries Katara.

Katara really cares about what Zuko thinks. She wants him to like her story. She hoped it was neat enough for him, because he is sort of a Big Kid after all, being two years older than her.

"That was a nice fairy tale," he finally says. Then he stands up, and walks away to pick up his wooden sword.

Katara blinks. That's it?

She wants to burst into tears. She had been hoping that he'd say something along the lines of _you're the greatest storyteller EVER!_

And it wasn't a fairy tale! It was a real story!

Zuko just doesn't get it.

_Boys._

Katara sits there and fumes for awhile, her afternoon ruined.

"Hey guys."

Her head jerks up to see a tall, lanky young man walk into the garden.

He was an _almost _Grown Up!

Zuko drops his sword and runs right up to him and the older boy stoops down and ruffles his hair lovingly.

"Lu Ten!" Zuko shouts with excitement.

Oh, so it's Zuko's cousin!

Lu Ten stands up and walks over to where she and Azula are sitting.

"Tenny!" Azula grins, standing up and throwing her arms around the older boy's leg.

"Hey 'Zula," Lu Ten crouches down and wraps his young cousin up in a proper hug. When he let's go he looks over in Katara's direction.

"You must be Katara," he moves over to her and offers out his hand.

She looks into his face. His eyes are so golden! His hair is so shiny! His skin is so clear! His jaw looks so strong!

"Hi," she squeaks, taking his hand (it's so much bigger than hers!). He gently shakes it. "Did you know you have the prettiest blue eyes I've ever seen, little Katara?" He gives her a kind smile and she ducks her head, blushing.

He stands up and walks away, shouting something about a sword fight with Zuko.

Katara sits there, stunned.

Katara _is in love._

She watches Lu Ten play fight with Zuko for a long time.

A _very _long time (despite Azula's constant urgings that they go rip up flowers).

She watches him for so long that she thinks it's time for him to come talk to her again.

But how to get him to notice her?

She wracks her brain, thinking.

Oh! She's got it!

She just needs to be rescued.

She stands up and looks around the garden. It's fairly kid proof, no immediate dangers in sight. Still, if she _pretended _that she needed to be rescued, Lu Ten would think she was in trouble and then he'd come to save her!

It was the perfect plan!

There's a cluster of bushes on the far side of the garden, and without further thinking Katara runs over to them and throws herself in.

"Help!" she shouts. "Help me, I'm in danger!"

She can't really see out through the bush, so she's not sure if Lu Ten has heard her or not.

She moves her arm and a thorn hooks into her skin, cutting into her and drawing blood. She cries out at the pain, tears pooling in her eyes.

Suddenly she hears footsteps pounding across the garden, and then the sharp branches and leaves are being pulled aside. A worried face peers down at her.

Except it is _not _Lu Ten's!

It is _Zuko's_, and a second later Sokka's head appears over his shoulder.

"Katara, are you okay?" Her brother reaches in and yanks her out of the bush, and she starts to cry because more thorns catch her skirt and neck, pulling at her hair.

Her cut arm is still the worse of her injuries though. It stings pretty badly.

"We have to take her to my mom," Sokka says firmly, and Zuko nods.

Then Zuko does something surprising. He reaches forward and gently takes her injured arm, cradling it gently in his own hands. Then he starts to lead her out of the garden and into the palace. Sokka is right beside her, fretting over her and scolding her at the same time.

* * *

><p>Both boys watch her mother wrap up her arm in a bandage. Sokka chatters the whole time, and eventually all Katara wants to do is tell him to shut up.<p>

Katara's plan had totally back fired. Lu Ten wasn't even there when she had been pulled out of the bush. He had been called away.

Finally her bandage is done, and mother leaves with Sokka in order to go get lunch and bring it back. But Zuko stays with her. He doesn't say anything for a long time, until finally he moves to sit down next to her on the floor.

"Do you want to hear a story?"

She nods, her eyes watering a little from her still aching arm.

Zuko looks alarmed. "Hey, don't cry! It's a happy story. It's about the first dragons."

Katara perks up a bit. "Dragons?"

He nods. "Yeah! But you can't cry, okay?"

Katara sniffs before nodding in agreement. "Okay. I promise."

Zuko gives her a smile before plunging into his story. "Once there were two dragons, a boy and a girl, and they lived in the sky…"


	5. Five and Seven

**A/N:**

**Once again, thank you for the reviews! Keep them comin', I **_**love**_** reading your thoughts!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Zuko is frustrated.<p>

Because no matter how much he _breathes _or _flows _or _pushes, _his fire kicks just aren't good enough.

Lu Ten, who's in charge of his lesson today, is smiling down at him with encouragement, stopping occasionally to correct Zuko's stance.

He tries his kick again.

His flame isn't powerful enough, his kick isn't wide enough.

It's not _perfect _enough.

Lu Ten catches onto his frustration (again), and kneels down in front of him.

"Do you know how old I was when I finally perfected that move?"

Zuko shakes his head and crosses his arms, not really in the mood to be comforted. He'd rather frown and sulk and read his Blue Spirit scrolls.

The Blue Spirit wasn't a firebender, but if he was Zuko would've bet that his kicks would have been flawless.

Lu Ten clears his throat and Zuko pulls his head up and looks at him.

"I was _nine_. Two years older than you are now."

Zuko shrugs, feeling a little bit (okay, a lot) better, but not willing to show it.

"You're so much further ahead with your bending than I was when I was seven. You should be proud."

Something moves in the shadows of the training area and Zuko looks up to see his father, Prince Ozai, watching him with a look of contempt.

Zuko can no longer remember why he should feel proud.

* * *

><p>Katara just didn't understand the greatness of the Blue Spirit, which frustrates Zuko greatly.<p>

Sokka does! Sokka completely understands why the Blue Spirit is so cool. But Katara has the audacity to _argue _with him.

_Girls_.

Zuko has dedicated the entire afternoon to hopefully convert her into a Blue Spirit fan. He has shown her all of his Blue Spirit scrolls, his wooden Blue Spirit action figures (they weren't dolls, despite what Azula said), his Blue Spirit blanket (which they were currently sitting own) and his Blue Spirit mask.

But she just didn't _get it_.

"He's a bad guy!" she says, frowning and sticking out her bottom lip.

"No he isn't!" Zuko counters. "He steals from the rich mean people and gives their stuff to poor farmers and noble citizens!"

She gives him a look of skepticism. "Stealing is _bad_."

"But it's for good!"

She shakes her head. "It's still **bad**." She sniffs haughtily. "The Painted Lady doesn't steal."

Zuko cannot believe his ears. _The Painted Lady?_

This just wasn't acceptable.

"The Painted Lady doesn't do _anything_."

Katara looks thoroughly scandalized. "Does too! She makes people feel better when they're hurt and she makes the bad people stay away from the good people!"

Zuko crosses his arms and turns away. "That's boring."

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is _not_!"

"Is _too!_"

"IS NOT."

"IS TOO."

A shouting match ensues, and soon Mother and Kaya come out to investigate their raised voices.

They're both sent to separate Time Out Corners, which Zuko thinks is unfair. It isn't his fault that Katara can't see sense.

After Time Out is over they're forced to shake hands and apologize. They glower at each other and mumble their apologies, refusing to make eye contact.

Zuko spends the rest of the day with Sokka, and both boys loudly complain about _girls _and why they just don't _get it_.

* * *

><p>Two weeks later Zuko is sitting in the garden by the pond. Sokka and Azula are playing tag, which Zuko has declined to join in on.<p>

He has _stuff _to do. He's organizing his collection of Blue Spirit wooden action figures.

He hears a familiar giggle and looks up to see Katara make her way into the garden, dressed as the Painted Lady.

Zuko is flat out offended that she would wear it in his presence.

"Zuko!" the girl shouts, picking up her skirts and running over to him. "Look at what my mommy made me!"

Admittedly, it looks nice.

Zuko would never say this out loud. Instead he shrugs and goes, "My Blue Spirit costume looks better."

She scowls at him, and Zuko can see that she's already smudged some of the face paint her mother must have put on her; it's rubbed off onto the veil. "No it wouldn't."

Zuko returns her scowl before marching into the palace.

He returns ten minutes later, decked out in all black with two wooden swords and his Blue Spirit mask that's twice as big as his actual head.

Zuko knows he looks beyond awesome.

Katara rolls her eyes when she sees him, and Zuko notices that both Sokka and Azula are gone.

"Whoop-de-do," she says. "My costume is still better. The Painted Lady is still better."

"Nuh uh." Zuko springs into action. "The Blue Spirit can do cool moves like _this_." He begins to perform a demonstration for her, and Katara watched on with mild curiosity.

He's actually not bad with his sword fighting forms and movements, since he started formally training about six months ago. He hopes that by next year he'll be able to graduate to real steel.

Zuko jerks his arms a bit, trying to do a couple of spins, trying to be _showy_, when Katara moves too close and he accidentally whacks her in the side, knocking her to the ground.

He panics.

He yanks off his mask and drops his wooden swords, already wishing he hadn't bothered with putting on his costume.

She sits up, rubbing at her side where he'd struck her and wincing, tears pooling in her big blue eyes.

He panics some more.

"I'm sorry!" he blurts out, not at all sure what to do. He just knows that he's not supposed to ever _ever _hit girls. Especially Katara.

But he has.

He feels _horrified_.

She stands up slowly and he automatically moves forward in case she needs him.

Instead she grabs her headdress, pulls it off of her head and tosses it onto the ground. She's _furious_.

"You hit me with your stupid sword!" she shouts, tears trailing down her cheeks.

Now this just isn't fair.

She's yelling at him, which means he should yell back. But she's _crying _too, which means he should beg for forgiveness.

"I didn't mean to!" he says desperately, taking a step back in precaution.

"You did too!"

Something splatters against his face.

Water.

He blinks before wiping it away, confused. The pond is a couple of feet away…

"You did too, you did too, you did _too!_" she continues, and the water doesn't just splatter against his face again, the whole pond _moves_.

Katara has yet to notice it.

Without really thinking about it, Zuko steps forward and gives Katara a gentle push, not hard enough to really move her, but just enough to enrage her further in her already furious state.

The water surges against the edge of the pond, causing the turtle ducks to let out little quacks of apprehension.

"Katara," he says softly, "you're making the water move."

"YOU DID—huh?"

"You made the water move," he repeats.

She looks annoyed. "No I didn't!"

"Yes you _did_. Wave your hand or something and you'll see!"

She jerks her arm in a harsh arc and water splatters once again against Zuko's cheek.

Her eyes widen in disbelief.

She rushes to the water's edge, Zuko right behind her, and holds out her hand.

A tiny little stream twirls up out of the pond and meets the palm of her hand. She _screams_.

Zuko hauls her up and grabs her hand and they both run into the palace in order to find their mothers.

The Painted Lady and the Blue Spirit were temporarily forgotten.


	6. Six and Eight

**A/N:**

**So, I've out cute-ed myself with this chapter. Seriously. :D**

* * *

><p>"Your arms are too rigid, Katara. Loosen up."<p>

Katara huffs and tries again.

She has known Hama for a very long time, as Hama and her Gran-Gran are very good friends, however, Katara isn't sure how she feels about Hama as her waterbending trainer.

For one, Hama is very strict and demanding. She wants the best out of Katara and nothing less.

Hama also doesn't let Katara train with the other kids because Katara is _special_. She's the Chief's Daughter and the first waterbender her family has had in generations and therefore deserves one-on-one training with Hama, the Southern Water Tribe's most renowned trainer.

Katara doesn't understand why this means she can't train with the other kids, though. It looks like it would be more fun that way.

Hama shakes her head and marches up to her, her feet crunching in the snow. "No, child. Like _this_." Katara watches with wide eyes as Hama demonstrates the form for her, marveling at the grace the older woman has with her element.

Katara decides that one day she will be that great of a waterbender—even better.

The wolves interrupt them with their howling.

This frustrates Hama, but Katara grins. She _loves _listening to the wolves. Lately a small pack has been making their way closer and closer to the village, and Katara wonders if maybe the wolves will befriend her village, like Kesuk and his wolves.

The idea makes her wild with excitement.

"Katara, pay attention," Hama snaps, and the little girl reluctantly turns her focus back towards her teacher.

* * *

><p>Later that night Katara sees her dad gathering his spear with a heavy sigh.<p>

"You're going hunting?" she asks, thinking it's a little late for Hakoda to go out looking for meat.

He pauses at the opening to their home and gives her a sad look. "Listen sweetie…"

The wolves howl and her dad winces.

Katara feels the panic rising up in her throat. "No, daddy! You _can't!_"

"Katara," her dad begins, and she can hear the strain in his voice, "these are dangerous animals—"

"No, they're not!" she cries. "They're not! You're wrong!"

Hakoda stoops to her level and puts a hand on her shoulder. "Sweetie, these wolves are starving. A starving wolf is a dangerous wolf, especially to a little girl like you." He shakes his head. "These are not like the wolves from your stories." He stands back up and makes for the door, but Katara grabs hold of his leg, screaming out anything she can think of to convince her dad otherwise.

She has to _something._ She has to protect her wolves.

Someone wraps their arms around her and yanks her away. It's her mother, and Katara tries to pull away from her embrace. But she can't and her father slips quietly out of the door.

Kaya stokes her hair and whispers reassurances into her ear, but all Katara can do is cry.

* * *

><p>She ignores her father the next morning, despite his many efforts to talk to her.<p>

She can barely look at him.

She gets ready for her waterbending lesson, knowing she can't be late. Hama isn't known to be a very sympathetic woman.

She walks out of their home, eyes downcast and feeling sad.

She freezes.

A bone thin black wolf is resting in the snow right beside her hut, gnawing on a strip of dried seal meat. She stares at it for a long time, breath caught in the back of her throat. When the wolf finishes, it moves into a sitting position and watches her with intelligent eyes.

It follows her to her waterbending lesson and quietly watches from the sidelines, ignoring the whispers and stares coming from the other villagers.

She (Katara decides the wolf _must_ be a girl) follows her home as well, keeping pace a short distant beside her.

Hakoda is waiting for them at their home and Katara regards him for a moment before hugging him.

"The rest of the pack is still around the village," he says into her ear. "But this one, this one followed me hear." Katara doesn't ask what made her dad spare her wolves, but it doesn't matter. They're alive.

Katara names her wolf Nukka, like the princess from the story.

Nukka won't allow Katara to touch her just yet and Katara thinks that's okay. She knows one day she will.

* * *

><p>Katara is thrilled that Zuko is fascinated by Nukka.<p>

"I want a wolf," he pouts, crossing his arms over his chest. He eyes her. "Does she really follow you everywhere?"

Katara nods eagerly. "Uh huh. And she growls at the big kids who are mean to me!"

He frowns. "Other kids are mean to you?"

She shrugs. "They push me down sometimes and tease me, that's all."

Zuko glares down at the grass. "They shouldn't do that."

"It's okay. Nukka makes them leave me alone."

"That's good," he says softly. "I wish I had a wolf that would make people leave me alone."

Katara taps her finger against her chin, thinking. "Well, maybe one day Nukka will have pups. I'll bring you one."

He perks up. "Really?"

"Yeah! I'll bring you a boy pup, and he'll be your friend when I'm not here!"

They grin at each other.

* * *

><p>Katara isn't sure why everyone in the palace is so sad, or why everyone has started to wear white.<p>

"Katara," her mother begins to explain as she leads her by the hand out to the garden. "The Fire Lord died last night."

Katara's eyebrows furrow in confusion. "Then why weren't Zuko and Azula sad this morning?" She would know, she had seen them at breakfast. She and Azula had shared their food as they usually did and Zuko talked about swords with Sokka. They had both seemed fine.

"Well, the Fire Lord…he was in his bed for a long time. He was sick. So Zuko and Azula didn't see him very much."

"Oh." Katara can't really fathom how anyone could rule a nation from their bed, but she decides that she'll think about that later. "Who's Fire Lord now?"

Her mother gives her a small smile. "Iroh."

This makes Katara happy. She likes Uncle Iroh. He tells funny jokes and makes yummy tea.

They reach the garden and Kaya lets go of Katara's hand.

She spots Zuko sitting in the grass a ways off, twirling something with his fingers. She plops down next to him and watches him out of the corner of her eye.

"Sorry about your granddad."

He shrugs. "I didn't know him that well," he admits.

"What're you holding?" she asks, gesturing to the golden flame thingy he has in his hands.

"Oh, this? It's my crown. I have to start wearing it now."

She blinks. "Princes wear crowns…"

He gives her a confused look. "Yeah. I don't want to wear mine though. It means I'll have to grow my hair out and everyone will look at me funny."

"I think it's pretty," she murmurs, turning her face away. She wishes she could wear something that lovely.

"It's okay, I guess. Don't…don't you have a crown?"

She shakes her head. "I'm not a princess."

Zuko looks confused. "But, I thought—"

"My dad is just the Chief. All we have is a symbolic staff. I'm not a princess, not like Azula, or the ones from my stories. Only princesses can wear crowns."

Zuko stares at her for a long moment. "You can have mine. And then you'll be one." He holds out his golden flame, nothing but seriousness on his face.

She gives him an incredulous look. "It's _yours_."

"So? I'm giving it to you."

She bites her lip and shakes her head. "But you're supposed to wear it…"

"You can have it," he insists, but she shakes her head stubbornly. "It's _your _crown, Zuko. That's how everyone knows you're a prince."

Zuko sighs dejectedly, letting his crown fall into the grass. "Well if you won't take it, then you can't get _sad _about it."

She glares at him. "I'm not getting sad," she seethes.

But nevertheless she _does _feel a little sad, more left out then anything.

She wonders why her country is the only one in the world where even though she's the leader's daughter, she _isn't _considered a princess.

This is incredibly devastating—for a six year old.

She sniffs a little bit, determined not to cry, and therefore doesn't notice Zuko stand up and walk away.

She sits there in the grass for quite some time, until she starts to nod off, the warm sun and cool evening breeze making her sleepy.

But then someone drapes something across her head. She startles, reaching up to see what it is. Her fingertips brush across soft flower petals.

She twists around to see Zuko standing behind her, with his hands behind his back, turning a deep shade of red.

"You have a crown now," he grumbles.

She feels the grin stretch across her face, and his expression brightens a little bit.

She stands up and rushes over to the pond, peaking into the water to see her reflection.

He's weaved a crown for her. It's made of red and white flowers and perches perfectly atop her head.

"I'm a princess now," she exclaims happily, turning away from her reflection to look at him.

He gives her a half smile and nods. "Yeah."

She throws her arms around him, laughing. She feels him stiffen for a moment before he starts to wiggle out of her grip. Typical boy.

But she refuses to let go, because he's her best friend besides Nukka and he made her a _crown _and she just can't help but place a quick kiss on his cheek because she's just so happy.

She can feel his face burning with a blush, but he stops trying to get out of her embrace.

In fact, he hugs her back.

* * *

><p><strong>AN #2:**

**I've always found it strange that Aang, Kuei, and other Avatar's were basically the only characters who had animal companions on the show.**

**The fun part about writing this story as a total AU is that I get to change that ;)**

**Review and let me know what you thought!**


	7. Seven and Nine

Zuko tries not to be jealous. Really, he does.

But he just can't help the envy he feels as he watches his sister train.

She moves through her firebending forms with twice the amount of grace and confidence then he had had when he had been seven. She never gets discouraged, she never messes up.

Her bending is _perfect. _Father even thinks she might be able to bend lightning in a couple of years.

A selfish part of Zuko hopes she can't, because so far he hasn't shown any signs of being able to produce lightning.

He sighs. He'll just have to train even harder so that he can stay on top of his own bending. It would be horrible if she out ranked him when he was the older sibling.

Master Chang Lee, Azula's firebending trainer, suddenly barks at her to correct her stance.

Zuko glares at this man from the side of the training area.

Zuko greatly dislikes Master Chang Lee. Something about him is off, despite the fact that he's considered one of the greatest firebenders in the world, a trainer who only trains the elite.

Azula doesn't like him either, which is why she straightens up and coldly tells him that he should correct _his _stance. She then turns and exits the training area without as much as a look over her shoulder at her trainer.

Zuko scans the side of the training area, making sure to study the shadows. Prince Ozai usually made a point to watch his daughter's training sessions.

Prince Ozai hadn't bothered to watch his son train in over a year.

Someone lays a gentle hand on his shoulder, grabbing his attention. Zuko turns his to see Lu Ten staring down at him with a grave expression.

"Zuko…" he trails off. He sighs. "Come on."

Zuko gets up and follows his cousin out of the training area and into the palace. "What's going on?" the nine year old asks warily.

Lu Ten shakes his head and says nothing.

They walk into the library and Zuko finds his mother in tears.

There is something unsettling about seeing a parent cry. Zuko is reminded that his mother, who is normally so happy and caring and giving, can be hurt by the world just as potently as he can.

"Mom?" he calls out fearfully, quickly making his way over to her. She looks up at him, her cheeks stained with tears, clutching a scroll.

A scroll with a Southern Water Tribe seal.

Dread crawls up his stomach and into his throat.

"What's going on?" His voice goes high with fear. "What happened?" He reaches for the scroll but his mother jerks her hand back, not allowing him to see it.

Terrible scenarios cross his mind.

Someone's dead. He knows it.

He starts to cry and he hates himself for doing so. Men aren't supposed to cry.

He reaches out and clutches his mother's hand. She's shaking. "Something bad happened," he chokes.

_Please don't let it be_…

His mother is soothing the hair away from his face. "It's Sokka and Katara's mother, sweetie. It's Kaya. She's…she's gone."

And then his mother is covering her face with her hands and letting out sobs and Zuko is practically beside himself with all kinds of terrible emotions he doesn't understand and he can't _see_ because of these _stupid tears_—

Lu Ten scoops him up with ease and takes Zuko back to his bedroom where he sits with him for a long time, rubbing his back and saying comforting things.

When the tears and the hiccupping finally subside, Zuko is furious with himself.

And not because he had cried.

And not because he had failed when it came to consoling his mother.

It was because a large part of him (larger then he would admit) had felt pure relief when his mother had said that it had been Katara's mother and not Katara herself.

* * *

><p>The weather is starting to become warmer.<p>

Zuko asks if Katara, Sokka, and Chief Hakoda will come to visit like they normally do.

His mother shakes her head and offers him a sad smile. "I don't think so sweetie."

* * *

><p>Two weeks after that another scroll comes from the Southern Water Tribe.<p>

This time his mother lets him read it.

They're going to come because they all need to get away. Also, Katara is bringing a friend.

Zuko quickly rebukes himself for feeling irritated.

But who was this _friend_?

* * *

><p>Zuko watches them get off their ship with apprehension.<p>

He watches Chief Hakoda and Sokka step onto the ramp. Chief Hakoda is offering everyone a bittersweet smile while Sokka stares at his feet.

Zuko fixes his eyes behind Sokka, looking for the person who would surely be behind him. He steels himself, knowing that there will be another girl (hopefully not a _boy_) with Katara.

He sees her behind her brother. Her eyes lift up, searching. She finally spots him and meets his gaze. Her expression is sad, but she tilts her lips up in a tiny smile, just for him. As she starts to make her way down the ramp, a great black wolf emerges behind her with the most piercing gray eyes he's ever seen.

Her friend.

* * *

><p>She doesn't cry as much as he thought she would. He's a little relieved by this.<p>

She is still very, very sad.

He devotes himself to one purpose: cheering Katara up.

They read nothing but Painted Lady scrolls. He tells Katara her favorite stories. He makes sure the head cook knows not to make anything but traditional Water Tribe foods for the both of them for the rest of the summer. They play her favorite games. He teaches her how to climb trees. He makes her about a million crowns made of flowers.

But at the end of the day, no matter how happy it might have been, she remembers that her mother is not there.

* * *

><p>Zuko can't sleep.<p>

He was reading, but his eyes have grown too tired. He's lit a small candle on his bedside table so that his room is somewhat illuminated as he lies in his bed on top of his covers.

The night is cool, but Zuko still can't get comfortable enough to fall asleep. He tosses and turns until finally he sits up and leans back against a mass of pillows, frustrated.

That's when he hears it.

Someone bumps into the wall outside of his bedroom door, and then he hears the muffled crying.

He bolts out of his bed and rushes across the room before slowly opening the door.

Something growls at him through the dark.

"It's okay, Nukka," a cracking voice tries to soothe.

Zuko lights a flame in his palm and holds it up.

Katara and her wolf are there by his door and from what he can see Katara has been crying. A lot.

"Are you okay?" he asks softly, knowing that she isn't but unsure of what he should do.

"I just…Sokka wasn't in his room," she says, voice strained. "And my dad is sleeping and I don't want to disturb him." She lets out a choked noise that kills him. "I didn't want to be alone," she sniffs.

Zuko pauses, considering. After a moment he backs up and opens his door a little wider. "Well, you can stay with me for a little while, I guess. Until you're feeling better."

She stares at him for a long moment before nodding and stepping into his room. Nukka eyes him before padding through the open doorframe, following Katara.

Girl and wolf climb up onto the bed and after brief hesitation Zuko does the same. Katara is sitting at the end of the bed, one hand wrapped around the bedpost. Zuko sits in the middle, watching her with a careful eye. The wolf lies in between them, head resting on her massive paws.

Katara stares down at her hand in her lap, tears glistening in her eyes. Zuko doesn't know what to say. He feels helpless. He hates this.

The light from the candle flickers. There are shadows everywhere.

Finally her face crumples and his friend, Katara, starts to weep. She turns and buries her head into the wolf's neck, sobbing.

Zuko freezes, trying not to panic. He doesn't want Katara to cry. He doesn't want her to feel sad.

Tentatively he reaches out and lays a hand on top of her head and stokes her hair. It's what mother used to do when he'd cry.

This startles her and she looks up, glistening eyes wide. Instinctively he swipes away a tear with his thumb, his other fingertips trailing along her soft cheek.

Then he pulls away and they stare at each other. The candlelight makes everything a deep shade of gold.

He rests his hand on the wolf's neck, running his fingers through her thick fur, turning his eyes away from Katara's.

A moment later his fingers brush up against hers. Hers stay where they are, but he hesitates because this is starting to go a little beyond him. Then he moves his hand back, heart beating faster than normal.

Their fingers intertwine.

* * *

><p>The next morning Zuko wakes up to a face full of black fur. He scrambles back, surprised. Nukka lifts her head and sends him a pointed look before putting her head back down.<p>

Zuko is at the front of his bed, Nukka beside him, and on other the other side of the wolf Katara is sprawled out, sleeping.

Zuko sits up and peers over at her. Her face is smooth and serene. He hasn't seen her look this peaceful all summer.

The fierce urge to guard her overwhelms him. He leans back against the headboard of his bed and calmly watches over his bedroom, determined not to allow anything to disturb her.

When she finally wakes, what seems like hours later, she looks like she's feeling better.

She takes in her surroundings calmly before giving him a shy smile.

He blushes for what feels like no reason at all.

"You want to get breakfast?" he asks, already planning all their activities for the day.

She nods.

As they walk to the kitchens she refuses to let go of his hand.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**Oh god you all hate me now. D:**

**Review anyway? :D**


	8. Eight and Ten

Things are weird without mom.

There's no one to tell her stories before bedtime. There's no one to one to pat her head and squeeze her tight when she cries. There's no one to watch the sunset with.

Katara has her mother's necklace now. She feels strange wearing it. There are days when she'll take it off and stare at it.

There are some days when Katara just coops herself up in her room and cries.

There are some days when she goes through the motions, not really living but just existing.

And then there are days like today.

She walks into Gran Gran's home with watery eyes and her head held high, Nukka trailing after her.

"I want to see it," she states.

Hama, who is visiting with her Gran Gran, shakes her head, disturbed. "Listen, child—"

"This way, Katara." Gran Gran stands up and shuffles into an adjoining room and Katara follows her.

"Kanna, this just isn't _healthy._"

Gran Gran shoots Hama a hard look over her shoulder. "It is her way of grieving."

She leads Katara into the room and gestures to the pelt rolled up against the side of the wall.

Katara pulls it out and lays it flat on the floor before sitting down at the end of it, not quite on top.

The fur of the white winter bear is still soft underneath her fingers. She starts to tremble, all different kinds of emotions welling up inside of her.

Last winter had been hard. And this bear had been starving…

Her dad had put a spear through its head after the _incident_.

Katara sniffs, curling her fingers into the pelt. "Do you…do you think this bear was…" she pauses, searching for the right word, "…evil?"

There is a long stretch of silence from behind her and for a moment Katara thinks that her grandmother has left her alone.

Finally, "No, little Katara. I don't."

Katara lets out a shaky breath of relief. She loves animals. Despite everything she would like to think that the winter bear that killed her mother wasn't bad.

"I don't think the Spirits create things that are purely evil," her grandmother continues. "Especially animals. Animals become hungry, they starve. They kill because they have to, because they can't fathom the consequences of their actions. An animal does not kill simply to kill."

Katara barely notices the tears slipping down her cheeks. She's become used to crying. Nukka whines and nuzzles her neck.

"What about people who are bad?" she questions softly.

Gran Gran lets out a long suffering sigh. "The human heart can blacken over time. We must strive to keep ourselves strong, even in hardships. Otherwise…"

Katara nods, understanding.

They sit in silence for a long time.

"Gran Gran, can I write a letter?"

* * *

><p>Her characters are sloppy and she smudged the ink, but she's written this all by herself.<p>

_Dear Zuko,_

_I miss you. See you soon._

_-Katara_

And then, as an afterthought:

_Dear Mom,_

_I miss you too._

She tucks that letter underneath her pillow. Her dreams are more peaceful after that.

* * *

><p>There's the clanging sound of steel against steel, and Katara watches Zuko and Sokka's sword fighting lesson with curiosity.<p>

Swords aren't really used in the South Pole. Her people use spears, knives, boomerangs, and the occasional harpoon for whale hunting.

A man, Master Piandao, is patiently instructing both boys—Zuko with his double swords, and Sokka with his single.

Katara could watch them all day. She thinks she might be able to sucker one of them into teaching her a few sword fighting techniques after their lesson is over.

Then someone tugs her sleeve sharply.

She looks up from where she's sitting to see Azula clutching a bow and arrow. "Come here, I want to show you something."

Katara stands up and follows the other girl into a seperate training area where targets have been set up.

Apparently Prince Ozai wanted both his children to train in a weapon. Zuko chose sword fighting. Azula chose archery.

"Watch _this_," Azula lets lose an arrow and it hits the center of the target with ease. She lowers her bow and offers Katara a smirk.

Katara smiles, impressed. "Wow! You're really good!"

Azula gives a half shrug, trying not to look as pleased as she is. "Thanks."

The other girl sits down next to Katara, showing her firebending tricks and babbling on about her school and her school friends.

"You should invite them over!" Katara suggests. She thinks it would be interesting to meet other Fire Nation girls her age.

Azula makes a face. "Why would I do that?"

"Because they're your friends—"

She's cut off by Azula's eye roll.

"Katara, I don't _need _them when you're here."

Katara feels confused. "I don't—"

Azula rolls her eyes again, clearly exasperated. "I like you more then I like them. I don't see the point in them coming over."

She stands up and starts to shoot the arrows again.

A few minutes later Sokka strolls in, a little sweaty from his sword fighting lesson. He pauses to watch Azula shoot.

And Azula misses. Her arrow hits the outer edge of the target.

The princess whirls around, furious. "You made me miss!" she snarls.

Sokka merrily shrugs, laughing. "Nuh uh."

And then they start to chase each other around.

Katara takes that as her clue to leave.

She makes her way back to where the sword fighting was, hoping to see some more of the lesson.

But the area is empty, to her disappointment.

The swords are still there, however.

She picks up Sokka's sword with a grin, swinging it around and jabbing it at nothing. She thinks she could be a great warrior. With a sword and her waterbending, she'd be amazing!

Much better than Sokka. And Zuko.

Boys aren't nearly as good as girls. Everyone knows this.

She stops after awhile and holds up the sword to inspect it. There's intricate designs cut into the steel and she moves her finger to barely trace over the edge—

And nicks herself anyway.

She lets out a hiss of pain. The tip of her finger is bleeding now.

It's not really so bad. Nothing a proper bandage and a hug can't fix.

But it _does _hurt. It burns and stings.

She starts to make her way into the palace when something captures her attention.

There is a small, decorative fountain that sits at the edge of the training area, marking the entrance into the gardens.

She can't seem to look away from the water. She can feel it's rush and splash.

It was _calling _to her.

She quickly makes her way to it without hesitation and plunged her hand into the stream.

It glows blue and the small cut at the tip of her finger knits itself back together.

Gasping, she holds her hand up to see if she's imagined it.

She hasn't. The cut was gone.

Had she never cut herself in the first place?

Now she was just confused.

She stares at the sword, then back at her hand.

The blade is pretty sharp. She could easily nick her hand again and see if the water heals her like it had before. To make sure she hadn't made it up.

She puts the blade against her hand, her curiosity outweighing the fear of the pain.

A pale hand knocks the blade away.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Zuko shouts, livid.

"I—"

"Don't do that! _Don't you ever do that!" _He's shaking he's so angry.

"I'm sorry!" she cries. "I was just—"

"_You can't just go and DO something like that!_" he interrupts. "You can't!"

"What did you think I was going to do?" she snaps back, feeling flustered.

Zuko's breaths are ragged. "Mom says that sometimes when people get really sad…" he trails off, unable to finish his sentence.

Katara realizes that he's not angry.

He's scared.

She quickly shakes her head. "I wasn't going to do that!"

"Yes you were." She can see the accusation in his eyes, the hurt and the fear.

"No, no I— you're bleeding."

He glances down at his hand, as if just now noticing the gash stretching across the inside of his fingers where he'd knocked the blade away. He immediately puts his hand behind his back where she can't see it.

And somehow, by instinct, she knows just what to do.

"Give me your hand," she instructs.

He shakes his head stubbornly. "No. We should go see my mom."

"Give me your hand," she asks again, voice soft.

He sighs and finally holds it out to her.

She calls the water and surrounds his injury with it. Just like before it glows blue and erases the gash, clearing away the blood.

She lets the water fall and pulls away, triumphant. "I knew I didn't imagine it! I was going to cut myself with the sword to make sure."

Zuko is blinking down at his perfectly whole hand before looking back up at her.

"Waterbenders are weird."

* * *

><p>The nightmares come again.<p>

They're awful.

There's screaming and the roar of a bear, but there's so much snow and Katara can't see. There's red, so much red, and then Sokka is grabbing her and dragging her away—

She wakes up to something licking her face.

Nukka is standing over her, whining in her show of concern.

Katara rolls out of bed and makes her way out of her room.

She and Zuko have an unspoken agreement that this is what she is to do whenever she has nightmares.

She lets herself into his room. He's fast asleep, but that's okay. She climbs up onto the other side of the bed along with Nukka, who acts as a barrier between the two children. She curls up against her wolf, feeling warm.

But it's the knowledge that Zuko is on the other side that makes her feel safe.

* * *

><p>She thinks that this summer was better than before.<p>

There were a few days when she forgot that mother was supposed to be there.

But only a few.

She's about to climb aboard the ship that will take her home.

There's a nudge against her shoulder and she turns around.

Zuko gives her the fastest hug in the history of mankind, barely putting his arms around before immediately pulling away again. A blush pops up against his cheeks. He hands her a folded up piece of parchment.

"Open it when you get home. See you next summer."

"Goodbye, Zuko." She gives him a teary smile. He returns it.

* * *

><p>She waits until she gets home, like he asked.<p>

_Dear Katara,_

_I miss you. See you soon._

_-Zuko_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **

**Thank you for the reviews from last chapter! Glad you guys don't hate me! :)**

**This chapter turned out a little darker then I had anticipated, mostly because Katara is obviously still depressed over Kaya. The next chapter should be much much happier, promise.**

**Please leave me your thoughts!**


	9. Nine and Eleven

**A/N:**

**And this story's rating is now 'T'. The innocence was nice while it lasted!**

* * *

><p>Fire Lord Iroh was too busy to do it.<p>

Prince Ozai couldn't bring himself to find the time.

Ursa flat out refused, understandably.

This left Lu Ten to give Zuko the Very Important Talk.

* * *

><p>"And there you have it," Lu Ten says, relatively calm considering the situation. "That's how…yeah. That's how that happens."<p>

Zuko is stunned.

_That _seems implausible.

And yet at the same time it made so much sense! That was what that was for!

And aside from being totally weird and confusing, girls had a specific point!

Lu Ten frowns at him when he points this out.

"Women don't like it when you treat them like baby machines. So don't," he warns. Then he smiles and ruffles Zuko's hair in a brotherly fashion. "Just treat girls with respect and you'll do just fine."

Lu Ten clears his throat and looks down at the very specific and educational diagrams that he has brought along for the Very Important Talk.

Zuko can't stop staring at them.

They are horrifying.

They are _fascinating._

"So," Lu Ten says, letting out an awkward cough. "That about sums that up. I'll leave those pictures here with you for the time being. For academic purposes," he finishes, narrowing his eyes at Zuko.

Zuko blinks up at his cousin innocently before handing his cousins the diagrams anyway.

He really has no use for educational diagrams of naked people who are performing what Lu Ten describes as the Very Important Deed.

* * *

><p>Zuko is not sure how to tell Sokka about the Very Important Deed. He doesn't know if Sokka <em>knows.<em>

And he would rather be eaten by a tiger-lily then talk to Katara about it.

He hopes he never ever _ever _has to talk to _her _about it.

How terrifying.

Sokka clears the air nearly as soon as he, Katara and Chief Hakoda arrive for the summer.

"I know what sex is!" he exclaims gleefully. Katara gives a huff of indignation behind him.

"_Why won't anyone tell me what that is?_" she shrieks furiously, stomping her foot. "I wanna know!"

"You don't get to know until next year," Sokka says with a wave of his hand. He straightens his shoulders and holds himself up higher. "You're too _little._"

Katara turns her big blue eyes onto Zuko.

He bolts before she can ask.

* * *

><p>Katara <em>and <em>Azula ignore him for the rest of the week, since both girls have no idea what the Very Important Deed is and yet both seem bent to know.

Zuko thinks this is a small sacrifice, considering.

* * *

><p>She's been here in the Fire Nation for nearly a month and yet this is the first time she's come into his room.<p>

He had missed her.

"Nightmare?" he asks. It was late, but not too late. He watches her step into his room and close the door behind her, Nukka faithfully by her side.

Zuko allows himself a moment to wish that he had a wolf too.

Maybe one day.

Katara reaches the edge of his bed and shakes her head. "No."

Zuko doesn't hide his surprise. He's suddenly feeling flushed and nervous. Katara has never come unless she's had a nightmare.

She brushes her fingertips along the bedspread. "I just…your bed is bigger than mine?" she offers weakly, as if she can't really think of anything.

"Erm," he gulps, not sure what to say.

Her shoulders sag and she sighs. "Fine. I'm not…I'm not sleeping well," she admits. "Last summer I got used to sleeping in here most nights."

He nods slowly before giving his permission. "Uh, sure."

She clambers up onto the bed and curls up on the other side, Nukka crawling between Zuko and Katara like she always does.

"Goodnight," Katara yawns. Then she's fast asleep.

He realizes the next morning that he sleeps better when she's around too.

* * *

><p>Zuko is half heartedly showing Katara some sword fighting techniques. She's not very good; a sword obviously isn't her kind of weapon.<p>

They both freeze when they hear too people giggling. They both rush to the edge of the garden and peer around the bushes. There's a servant girl and a kitchen boy in a secluded corner, right by the palace wall.

They're _kissing_.

"Gross," Zuko blurts out, turning away instantly. He doesn't want to see two people eating each other's faces, as Sokka puts it.

Katara, however, is now looking at him with a calculating expression.

He's about to take off when she grabs his face and kisses him.

Then just like that it's over.

Zuko stares down at her, eyes wide, face turning hot.

Katara's expression is blank and then her mouth twists up.

"Ew."

Zuko doesn't even feel offended. In fact he feels relieved.

She shakes her head, looking somewhat disgusted.

"Kissing is icky," she says, turning away and picking back up her sword. "Let's never do it again."

Zuko nods quickly. "Agreed."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**:D**

**Silly kids…**

**Review!**


	10. Ten and Twelve

"…and nine months later a baby is born."

Gran-Gran looks down at her granddaughter expectedly.

Katara blinks. "Wait…"

Gran-Gran gives her an encouraging nod.

"He puts his what _where_?"

* * *

><p>Sex literally sounds like the worst thing ever.<p>

Katara is not thrilled.

Katara is not thrilled at _all._

It doesn't make any _sense._

She doesn't know why _anyone _would want to do that.

Just horrible.

* * *

><p>Nukka is acting funny.<p>

First, she disappears for a couple of nights. Normally this wouldn't concern Katara too much. Sometimes Nukka likes to go off by herself and Katara can understand that. But it is Nukka's behavior after these couple of nights that are so strange.

She eats a lot.

And gets moody.

And as the weeks wear on Nukka leaves during the day for a couple of hours.

Finally Katara follows her, and it is there that she discovers that Nukka is making a den.

When Katara finally puts two and two together she is beyond thrilled. They are going to have wolf pups!

She jumps up and down with excitement. The pups are going to be so cute! And fluffy! And of course she was going to get to name them all and help take care of them when they got older and—

She pauses as _another_ thing clicks together.

"Nukka!" she scolds, somewhat horrified. "You had sex! _Why would you do that?"_

* * *

><p>Katara is nearly dying of excitement as the ramp that will lead her off of the ship and onto the Fire Nation Capitol port is slowly being lowered.<p>

If she leans over the railing she can see Zuko and his mother waiting for them at the dock, surrounded by their royal guard.

She's already waved to them so much that her wrist is starting to ache.

But she doesn't care.

She can't remember the last time she's felt this level of excitement.

She readjusts the bundle in her arms as the ramp finally touches down. Then she's sprinting down it, not bothering to listen to the shouts of her father or brother.

The royal guard steps aside as she barrels toward them, and Zuko and Ursa watch her with wide eyes as she slides to a halt in front of them.

Then she promptly places the bundle into Zuko's arms.

The older boy looks at her in confusion for a moment. Then, realizing what he's got in his arms, he holds up the wolf pup and appraises it with sheer happiness.

It's black with bright blue eyes. But that's not why Katara picked it out. She picked it out because out of all the other wolf pups, this one had the personality that was the most _opposite _from Zuko's. She thinks that will be good for the Fire Prince. It'll mix things up a little bit.

Suddenly Zuko is clutching the pup to his chest, and the little fluffy bundle squirms a bit so that it can start licking his face.

Katara thinks that this is the beginning of a very beautiful friendship.

* * *

><p>"What're you going to call him?" Katara asks.<p>

She's only been there one full day but Zuko and his wolf pup are already inseparable.

"I've thought of a few things," Zuko admits, "but not of them seem good enough." There's a slightly awkward pause before he clears his throat. "I was kind of hoping that he could have a Water Tribe name." He shoots her a hopeful look.

She breaks out into a smile before nodding eagerly. She can't help but feel a little honored.

"Well, what kind of name are you looking for? Like, what do you want his name to mean?"

Zuko taps his finger against his chin, thinking.

It's raining outside, so they're currently walking along the hallways of the palace. Zuko's pup is nipping at his heels, his little tail wagging.

Zuko laughs and scoops him up, scratching the pup behind his ears.

That's when Ozai and a couple of noblemen turn the corner and start walking toward them.

Zuko's whole demeanor changes, Katara notices.

He lowers his arms so that his pup isn't in his face. He shrinks back against the wall and begins to incline his head when Ozai starts to pass, but suddenly his father stops.

"What is _that_?"

"It's a wolf pup," Zuko answers, voice barely audible.

"Speak up, boy."

"It's a wolf pup," Zuko repeats, louder this time.

Ozai's eyes narrow before his gaze slides over to Katara.

Katara has always greatly disliked this man. Her father had told her that he hadn't been pleasant as a kid either. When Hakoda would visit the Fire Nation during his summers as a child he usually spent his time with Iroh.

Katara couldn't blame him. Her heart went out to Zuko, who was stuck with him as a dad. She couldn't imagine having such a scary father.

"Did you give him that thing?" Ozai snaps, and Katara flinches, feeling a slight prickle of fear.

She nods, not wanting to open her mouth.

"You should have the courtesy to speak to Prince Ozai when you are spoken to," one of the noblemen instructs haughtily.

Katara gulps, wanting nothing more than to leave, but Zuko speaks up for her. "Yes," he answers in her stead, "Katara gave him to me. He's a gift."

Ozai rolls his eyes before moving forward. "Don't mess that thing up," he calls out, not even bothering to look at his son over his shoulder, "like you do everything else."

Katara stares at her feet, too troubled to look at Zuko until his dad is out of sight.

When she does his face is paler then usual and his eyes look red.

"Zuko—"

"What's Water Tribe for 'strong'?" he asks, not quite looking her in the eye.

She thinks for a moment. There are only three members of their tribe who can speak the Old Language fluently, but she, along with most of the other Water Tribe children, knows a lot of the vocabulary.

"Um… I believe it's 'sangilak'."

"Sangilak…" Zuko repeats, testing out the word. "Okay." He puts his pup back down on the ground before starting to walk onward again.

"Sang," he calls out. The wolf pups ears tip forward.

* * *

><p>Katara is feeling frustrated with Zuko.<p>

He's already taught Sang how to 'sit' and is already working on 'come'.

But you just don't train wolves!

You just _don't_.

Wolves are supposed to be wild and they're supposed to _choose _to obey you when they want to. It's a symbol of trust.

Katara certainly hasn't taught Nukka how to sit.

Nukka sits whenever she feels like it.

But Zuko just shakes his head at her when she tells him this.

"I want him to be trained," he says firmly.

Katara's mouth falls open.

_Boys._

Never listening to reason.

"Hey Katara, how about you close your trap before something flies in it!" she hears Sokka shout.

Her eyes narrow and she whirls around. "Shut up!" she shouts, but Sokka is already halfway across the garden, laughing hysterically. She then proceeds to chase her brother out of the garden and through the palace, shouting at him the whole time.

Sokka has grown a lot in the past year, but that's made him gangly and more prone to stumble. She's shorter and more petite; therefore she should have been able to catch him.

He cheats by running into his bedroom and then locking the door.

She pounds her fists against his door for a moment, furious.

Then she stops because she can't remember why she chased him in the first place.

When she gets back to the garden Zuko is already teaching Sang how to 'stay'.

* * *

><p>Katara and Azula are currently comparing notes.<p>

They both now know the mysteries of what _sex _is, after all.

Katara is not surprised to find that Azula is just as horrified by the concept as she is.

But then, while both girls are discussing just how strange and totally gross (but yet sort of interesting) it is, Azula says something that shocks Katara.

"Why you'd want the _whole thing _in I'll never know—"

"You mean just the tip," Katara corrects, already feeling wary.

Azula shakes her head. "No, it's the _whole thing_. That's what my mom said."

"_All _of it?"Katara is shocked. And appalled.

"Yeah huh. Then she said something about how the boy tries to be 'gentle' or whatever, but still—"

"That sounds _awful!_" Katara's mind has been blown and in the _worst _way.

"I know!" Azula is nodding in understanding.

"But why would anyone want to _do_ that?"

Azula shakes her head, disgusted. "I have _no _idea."

* * *

><p>Katara can technically sleep just fine in her Fire Nation palace bedroom.<p>

The nightmares about her mother's death are extremely rare now, and she hasn't had one in months.

And yet she still wants to sneak out of her room and into Zuko's.

So she does.

When she opens up his bedroom door he doesn't look the least bit surprised to see her. He puts a finger to his lips and points to a pile of pillows on his bedroom floor. Sang is curled up on top of them, sound asleep.

She smiles and nods in understanding, silently closing his bedroom door behind her and then climbing up onto his bed.

She has left Nukka behind in the South Pole this summer because Nukka has to continue raising the rest of her pups. Nukka's absence is highly noticeably as Katara settles on the other side of Zuko's bed.

There is suddenly no barrier between her and Zuko.

He seems to notice at the same time she does. His face and neck flush red. He mumbles something before clearing his throat and getting under the silky covers.

She does the same, attempting to keep her distant.

Zuko makes a simple hand movement and the light from the one candle he had lit snuffs out.

They lay there for a while, neither moving.

Zuko breaks the silence. "Thank you for giving me Sang."

She smiles into the darkness before turning toward him slightly. "I promised you that I'd bring you a wolf pup one day, didn't I? So that'd you'd have a friend when I'm not here."

"Yeah," she hears him whisper. "I remember that. But thank you anyway."

"You're welcome."

She feels him move a bit closer, so she does the same.

She realizes she feels a bit bolder in the dark, when she can't see his face.

She finally asks him something that has been bothering her a little bit.

"Zuko…"

"Yeah?"

"Your dad…he doesn't do anything _bad _to you, does he?"

"What do you mean?" She can hear a bit of defensiveness in his voice.

"I mean, he doesn't, like…you know…_hurt _you or anything, does he?"

"No. He doesn't," he whispers. She was half expecting him to snap at her. She is surprised that he doesn't.

She bites her lip. "Do you think he will?"

There is a long moment of silence. "Sometimes. He's angry a lot," he answers honestly.

She reaches out under the covers for his hand. When she finally finds it she gives it a gentle squeeze. "You can tell me anything, you know."

There is another long silence, so long that she thinks he might've fallen asleep.

Her eyes begin to drift shut. She suddenly feels so tired.

"I know."

She smiles into her pillow.

They fall asleep holding hands.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**D'aaww.**

**Katara and Azula's reactions to sex may or may not have been based off of my personal reactions to sex as a ten year old.**

**May or may not.**

**Review!**


	11. Eleven and Thirteen

Sang's head reaches Zuko's hip.

And he's not even fully grown.

Zuko would like to think that his wolf is intimidating, but apparently Sang himself doesn't think that way.

Sang lets the servant girls cuddle him, and he happily eats the scraps that Azula feds him from the dinner table.

Zuko has noticed that Azula quite likes Sang. Zuko suspects she'd probably steal his wolf away if Sang wasn't always glued to his side.

Zuko tells his sister that perhaps Katara will bring a wolf pup to her one day.

Azula perks up at this. She tells her brother that she'll have a girl wolf, and that her wolf will be more awesome then Sang.

Zuko rolls his eyes and shakes his head, even though he secretly agrees. Sang isn't a very aggressive wolf, despite Zuko's training.

Then the two siblings go back to bickering and play fighting like they always do.

Like _siblings _always do.

* * *

><p>Zuko can feel the early signs of summer.<p>

This thrills him.

Summer has quickly become is favorite time of the year.

He can't wait to show Katara how much his wolf has grown. Despite all of her original complaining, Zuko suspects that she'll be super impressed with Sang's training and his abilities. Or, at least, he hopes she will.

He walks through the palace towards the training area. Azula is starting to learn how to bend lightning, something Zuko probably won't start training in for another couple of years.

He frowns when he finds her practicing. The person whose training her isn't her usual instructor.

It's Ozai.

Zuko immediately moves onto the sidelines of the area, quickly taking in the situation.

Both his father and his sister are covered in sweat, chests heaving, faces flushed from their bending.

But that's not the thing that concerns him most.

Azula looks like she's about to burst into tears. That's how he knows that something is definitely wrong.

Azula _never _cries. She never lets anyone talk down to her, or make her feel like the lesser person.

But the Azula standing in front of him has a quivering lower lip. She rapidly blinks her eyes, trying to clear her tears, and takes deep breaths in an attempt to calm herself.

"Your form was off again," Ozai says eyes narrowing his eyes at his daughter. "I will demonstrate one more time."

Azula sniffs and gulps, watching as Ozai roughly moves through the form for producing lightning.

"Now do it. And do it _right_."

Azula nods quickly and moves through the form with twice the grace that her father had. Then she looks up at her father with wide, hopeful eyes—

—but he only curls a lip at her.

"I must question the sanity of your trainer, since he tells me that you're a prodigy. Do it _again_."

Azula bites her lip, but a few stray tears escape from her eyes and run down her cheeks. Ozai lets out a sigh of disapproval.

Zuko can't really help the, "Leave her alone," that pops out of his mouth.

Ozai turns his cold gaze onto him and Zuko panics. He's about to apologize for speaking out of turn when he sees Sang making his way towards him from the palace.

Zuko is reminded of what Sang's name actually means and why he picked it out.

He clears his throat, stands up straighter and squares his shoulders.

"Leave her alone. Can't you see she's trying?" his voices comes out a little shakier then he would have liked, but he's proud that he's even managed to speak.

Ozai's eyes narrow into slits. "Your insolence is astounding for one so young. You should take your leave before you make a fool of yourself."

Zuko can feel his heartbeat speed up, but he stands his ground.

"I just think that maybe you should take it easy on her," he says sharply, defending his sister. "From what I saw, her moves looked good."

Ozai outright laughs at this. "And what would you know of lightning forms? Have you managed to bend lightning without my knowing?" He waves his hand casually at his son. "Leave us. Your sister and I will keep training until she gets it right."

Zuko notices that Sang has come to stand by his side now.

He suddenly feels braver then he should.

"Are you pushing her so hard because her forms are better then what you could ever do?"

As soon as he says it he regrets it.

Ozai freezes and Azula's eyes widen in shock.

Zuko's father slowly turns to face him, fury embodied. "Are you challenging my abilities, boy?"

Zuko suddenly feels wobbly. "No, no, I—"

"Because it sounded like you think your eleven year old sister is a better firebender then I am."

Zuko takes several steps back, shaking his head rapidly. "I'm s-sorry, I didn't—"

"Perhaps, since you're such a good judge of firebending capabilities, you would be willing to showcase your own against mine? Agni Kai?" His father stalks towards him, a fireball between his hands.

Zuko sinks to his knees, crippled by his own fear.

He knows that now would be the time to scream for his mother, Uncle Iroh, or Lu Ten, but he can't seem to muster up his breath.

He's crying and he feels so helpless and afraid.

Ozai stops his advance and gives him a look of disgust. His brings his hands together, snuffing out the fire. "No, I'm not going to Agni Kai with someone who can't even stand on his own two feet."

Zuko almost lets out a shout of relief, but manages to contain it.

But then his father extends his hand and ignites a bright flame. "However, you have shown me great disrespect. This will teach you to watch your tongue around those who are above you."

Ozai thrusts his fist forward.

The pain is white hot and suddenly Zuko can't see.

But he hears the horrified and then enraged cries of his sister.

Then there is vicious, _vicious _growling.

Then screams upon screams of pain that mix with his own.

* * *

><p>Zuko's eyes are open but he can't really see.<p>

"Lay him flat, don't prop up his feet."

He feels water drip onto his face and there's hysterical crying.

"_No _Princess Ursa, no liquids. He's going into shock." The physician barks out more orders, but Zuko doesn't catch them.

He thinks the darkness might be a safer place.

* * *

><p>Someone is starting to wrap part of his face in a cool cloth.<p>

He can barely make out two figures standing over him with his uncovered eye.

The figure to the right goes, "Do you think—"

"He will live. But it will scar."

The figures start to clear. The one on the right is his cousin; the one on his left is the Royal Physician.

Something wiggles against his side. Something furry.

"That damn wolf—"

"—will stay right where he is."

Lu Ten reaches out and takes Zuko's hand.

* * *

><p>Zuko has managed to stay awake for longer than four hours.<p>

He understands that he has been burned.

But he's not too worried. He hasn't managed to get out of his bed yet, but that's okay.

The burn barely hurts, you see. In fact it's nearly painless.

The skin around the burn is sore, but Zuko takes that in stride.

When the physician and his mother come in with his evening meal, he manages a smile for them.

"It must not be that bad," he says, gesturing to his face with a finger. "It doesn't even hurt." He's relieved that it seems to be healing so fast.

His mother bites her lip and lets out a choking noise, turning her face away.

The physician gives him a very defeated look and shakes his head.

"That is because the nerve endings have been destroyed."

* * *

><p>It's been two weeks, but Zuko has yet to leave his room.<p>

He just…doesn't want to.

Instead he accepts visitors. Mother and Lu Ten spend the most time with him, and Uncle Iroh eats his lunch with him.

And then there is Azula.

Mother says she has been avoiding him, so he's slightly surprised when she walks into his room a week and a half after the incident.

She sits on the edge of his bed and doesn't look at him.

Well, she doesn't look at his face, anyway.

"You don't understand," she begins, "I thought he was going to kill you."

Zuko tilts his head and thinks that that was an odd thing for her to say, but doesn't question her.

She leaves after that.

No one has mentioned what has been done with Ozai.

Zuko hates himself for wondering.

For hoping.

* * *

><p>It's been nearly a month and today Zuko decides he'll finally unravel his bandage and look in the mirror.<p>

He's been avoiding it.

But now he must stop pretending.

He stands in front of the mirror and takes his time removing the bandage. His hands are shaking and he feels nauseous.

But finally he's gotten it off.

He takes his reflection in for the first time.

* * *

><p>They have to stitch up his hand because he breaks the mirror.<p>

* * *

><p>He refuses to come out.<p>

He refuses to see anyone.

He thinks he'll wither away in here.

He thinks that might be best.

* * *

><p>His bedroom door opens and he turns towards it with a heated glare.<p>

The only one that is allowed in is Sang. The whole palace is aware of this now.

He's sees someone that he _never _thought would step foot in his room.

"Prince Zuko, it is nice to finally meet you."

Avatar Aang closes his door behind him and offers him a wide smile.

He makes his way over to a chair in the corner of the room. "Do you mind if I sit here?"

Zuko shakes his head dumbly.

Avatar Aang is a funny looking man.

He's old, as in _ancient_, with a wrinkled face, blue arrows and a funny wisp of white facial hair that sticks out of his chin. His gray eyes, however, look young and happy. He offers Zuko a broad smile.

"Your mother tells me you won't come out of your room." It is a statement, not a question.

Zuko just continues to stare.

_The Avatar is in his room._

"I would think it would get quite boring in here, after awhile."

Zuko shrugs one shoulder halfheartedly.

Avatar Aang's smile turns sad. "I am so sorry, my boy, for what that man did to you."

Zuko looks down at the ground, not sure what to say. No one has brought up Ozai so far.

"It is fitting, perhaps, what happened to him."

Zuko looks back up now, confused. "What…what happened?" he croaks. He hasn't used his voice in awhile.

Avatar Aang looks surprised for a moment, but then his expression quickly calms. "Your sister and your wolf happened."

Then the Avatar tells Zuko what no one else has.

The cries of rage that came out of Azula happened when she burned Ozai in retaliation.

"_I thought he was going to kill you."_

The vicious growling came from when Sang ripped into Ozai's arm.

Zuko suddenly feels the need to be sick.

"Where is he now?" he whispers.

Avatar Aang gives him a look of sympathy. "Fire Lord Iroh and I have agreed on a place for him to stay for the time being. But I suppose you should consider him banished."

Zuko feels nothing at this news, for the most part, except for a slight twinge of sadness. He feels as if he has betrayed himself because of it.

"Why are you the one telling me this?" he snaps, suddenly feeling angry (at himself, mostly).

"You won't see anyone else. Besides, I figured it was time we became acquainted. I do hope you perk up soon, Prince Zuko. Perhaps your friends will help in that regard."

At Zuko's panicked expression Avatar Aang nods reassuringly. "Your mother says they'll be here in a couple of days."

"But I had thought—"

"That they weren't coming? Prince Zuko, you must not understand what makes a good friend."

* * *

><p>Zuko braces the chair against the door before curling up on his bed and wrapping his arms around Sang's neck.<p>

He can hear the commotion in the hallways. They're arriving today.

He can't see her.

He _can't_.

So he won't.

* * *

><p>By nighttime Zuko's resolve breaks.<p>

He pulls the chair away from his door, refusing to leave but hoping that just maybe…

He's almost asleep when he hears the door open.

Almost.

He has lit candles all over the room. He thinks that she should see him properly.

And when she does her eyes start to water.

He turns away from her, feeling ill.

He hates to see Katara cry.

But his face is what's causing her tears.

Slender arms wrap around him from the side, but he doesn't return the embrace.

He can't.

"I _hate _him." Her whisper ghosts over his shoulder and neck and he can feel her tears soak into the shoulder of his shirt. He steps away, breaking out of her arms with ease before climbing onto his bed. Her wolf and his wolf curl up on the pillows.

He waits until her crying stops before he looks at her. Really _looks _at her.

It's then that Zuko sees that Katara is showing signs of prettiness. Her hair is long, thick and wavy, her eyes are big and round, her lips are starting to curve pleasantly and the color of her skin seems to glow.

She'll be beautiful one day.

No, she already is.

And yet here he sits, _mangled _beyond repair, half his face melted off.

He's disgusting and someone like her shouldn't have to look at someone like him.

"I think you should go," he says, voice harsher then he intends.

She blinks, confused. "But we always—"

"You should go," he repeats. "This isn't proper anymore."

"But—"

"_Leave!_"

He hears her sniff and he hates himself for causing her to cry again.

When she reaches the door she pauses.

"I'm still your friend, you know."

* * *

><p>Zuko quickly learns that Katara is just like her brother's favorite weapon.<p>

Like a boomerang she always seems to come back.

Even if she's unwanted.

The next day she practically breaks down his door, carrying a tray packed with fattening and delectable looking foods.

Zuko barely even nibbles on it.

Katara makes herself into his fulltime nurse. She brings him food, keeps him company, and makes sure he's comfortable.

It isn't until she's been there for over a month that she tries to take off his bandage, however.

She approaches his bed with a bowl of water in her hands, setting it down on the bedside table.

Zuko has a sinking feeling. He knows where this is going.

"Katara…"

"I'm going to heal it," she says determinedly. "I am."

He practically flies across the room when she reaches for his face.

"Zuko," she warns, looking perturbed.

"No, Katara. _No._"

"Just let me try!"

"NO."

"Please!"

"I SAID _NO!_"

Her bottom lip begins to quiver. "Just let me try, Zuko. I won't be able to live with myself if I don't."

It takes a few minutes, but finally Zuko sits on the edge of her bed and lets her reach for his face.

Her fingers hesitate along the edges of the bandage, but finally she unravels them with unfailing gentleness.

Her face visibly falls when she finally sees the full extent of his burn. But she doesn't say anything, which he appreciates.

She calls the water to her hands and a moment later the liquid is glowing blue.

Zuko gulps, nervous and suddenly hopeful. He remembers how she had healed his injured hand a few summers ago.

He wonders if her healing will be successful this time as well.

When she coats his burn with her glowing water Zuko doesn't feel it. But he can tell that it's not going the way she had hoped.

She bites her lip in concentration, but after a moment her eyes narrow and she furrows her eyebrows. She lets out a few huffs.

Then her eyes start to glisten and suddenly the water soaks into the bed with a _splat_.

She looks devastated.

And then she's hysterical.

"_I'm so s-sorry!_" she cries before getting up and running from the room.

* * *

><p>His door is open and he is standing in the open doorframe, staring out into the hallway.<p>

If he takes one step forward he will leave his bedroom.

He doesn't want to, but he thinks he might have to.

Katara hasn't come back since she tried to heal him.

If she won't come to him then Zuko thinks he might have to go to her instead.

He kind of hates her for making him leave the one place that had been safe for the past couple of months.

He remembers the crushed look on her face and his resolve hardens.

He steps out into the hallway and keeps his head down, hoping he doesn't cross paths with anyone.

When he finally reaches her room he hesitates for a brief moment before knocking on the door. When she opens up and sees him she looks shocked.

Then she's flung her arms around him, apologizing over and over. He pats her back awkwardly and wonders at how she so easily ignores the fact that half his face is still covered in a bandage.

* * *

><p>She coaxes him out into the garden. He tells her he's not ready to deal with her brother yet and she nods in understanding.<p>

She has lunch waiting for them, and she has a scroll in her arms.

They sit in the grass and he picks at his food. He finds that listening to her voice is much more filling.

She unravels the scroll and starts to read.

"The people from the village demanded to see The Blue Spirit's face. They claimed that despite everything he had done for them, if he chose to hide behind a mask then he must not be trustworthy. But one girl spoke up for The Blue Spirit. 'You are all fools,' she said. 'The Blue Spirit does not hide behind a mask, he exposes himself through his actions. You do not measure a man by the shape of his nose or the brightness of his eyes, but by his honor and his choices...'"

She does not stop reading, even when she reaches up with one hand and tenderly wipes away his tears.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**I found this chapter extremely upsetting to write for obvious reasons. For the record the next chapter **_**will **_**be happier. Promise.**

**I hope everyone is still on board with this story despite the heartfail.**

**Also, there won't be another update for at least a week. I'm going on vacation! In fact in a little over 24 hours I'll be in Disney World (:D :D :D). There is a teeny tiny chance that I might update while I'm away, but that's doubtful. Hope everyone enjoyed the quick update!**

**Review and let me know what you think!**


	12. Twelve and Fourteen

Katara's thoughts are all over the place as she and Nukka play their game.

She forms the ice disc with practiced hands, making sure to smooth out the edges. With a sharp flick of her wrist she sends the disc shooting across the tundra. Nukka scrambles to her legs and bolts after it, barking wildly.

A tiny smile stretches across her face as Nukka leaps up in mid air and catches the disc with ease. Katara claps lazily as the wolf trots back to her, ice disc in her mouth.

Normally Katara would bend down and take the disc then throw it again, but today she's distracted. Hama had told her earlier today that she would need to talk to her about a new technique she had been working on.

Realizing that Katara isn't going to take the disc, Nukka plops down into the snow and begins to lap at the ice.

A few minutes later Katara hears her name being called by her waterbending master. She gulps nervously, but obediently goes to join her teacher.

* * *

><p>Katara's nervousness has turned to giddiness.<p>

Hama moves her fingers over the chest of the elder, brow furrowed in concentration.

The elder hadn't looked very good hours before, in fact the majority of the tribe had been preparing for his death.

But the color has returned to his cheeks and he is breathing better. He looks much more comfortable then he has before.

"His blood was clotted in certain areas," Hama explains. "I could feel it."

A small part of Katara tells her that there is so much that can be potentially bad about this new technique, but if it can be used for something as good as saving lives then perhaps the bad things can be over looked.

"I can clear bruises off of the skin, no water needed. I can stop men from bleeding to death; I can make the blood flow in the proper directions." Hama pauses and watches as the elder drifts off into a restful sleep. "Perhaps I could restart a heart, even." She pulls a blanket up older the elder and sighs.

Katara nods, smiling. "And scars? We could heal those too, correct? We could make new skin, do something with the blood—"

Hama is already shaking her head.

"Katara," she says gently, "no technique can bring back things that are dead."

Because that is what Zuko's scar is. It's dead.

Hama pats her hand and then instructs her to reach inside herself and feel her own blood. They practice on each other for a couple of hours, simple things, like moving limbs and gaining an understanding of the way the blood moves and works inside of the body.

Hama calls it bloodbending, and by the end of the day she calls both her and Katara the Southern Water Tribe's first bloodbenders.

Before Katara heads home for the evening, Hama warns her.

"You are my best student—"

"I'm your only student," Katara interrupts, raising an eyebrow.

Hama narrows her eyes at her. "That is beside the point. You're the only one I've shown this to, and I'd like to keep it that way for the time being."

"I can't tell anyone?"

Her teacher shakes her head, slightly exasperated. "No, Katara. They would not understand that this is a gift."

Katara promises to keep their secret. She goes to bed thinking it's a shame no one else will know of this amazing discovery.

That night she dreams that she can reach even further into the body. She removes the fluid from people's eyes and ears. She forces the contents of the stomach back up the esophagus, the throat and out of the mouth. She can twist people's body parts around, causing them to shriek in agony.

She wakes to her own screams and immediately rolls over and curls up into Nukka's fur. The wolf whines and licks at her tears.

Now she understands why bloodbending must be kept a secret.

She wonders if maybe the bad things about bloodbending outweigh the good things.

* * *

><p>Considering the state that Katara had left him in, Zuko is doing much better.<p>

He leaves his bedroom regularly, almost as often as he did, before. He eats his meals with his family and their guests in the dining hall. He goes out into the garden and practices his sword fighting while Sang chases squirrels. He's even started up his firebending again.

The only problem is that Zuko refuses to go out in public.

_Refuses._

Which is why Ursa asks her to have tea with her the day after Katara and her family arrive in the Fire Nation for the summer.

Katara agrees, of course. It is always nice to have one-on-one time with Ursa. She is like an aunt.

She smoothes her hands over her lap, wiping away imaginary wrinkles from her robes.

"It's good to see you, Katara. You're looking well and you're growing up beautifully," Ursa says, smiling at her over her teacup.

Katara can't help but beam at the praise. "Thank you." She straightens up a bit and pours honey into her tea, attempting to look debonair.

"I wanted to talk to you about Zuko."

Katara's tea is quickly forgotten. She peers up at Ursa curiously. "What about him? He's doing much better."

It's Ursa's turn to beam. "Yes, he is, thanks to you. Your patience and care helped him out greatly last summer. You're a wonderful friend, Katara." Ursa clears her throat and sets her teacup down, looking Katara right in the eye. "I was hoping you could do something else for him, actually."

Katara doesn't understand why Ursa is bothering to ask. Everyone knows she'd do just about anything for Zuko. He's her best friend, after all.

She nods eagerly anyway. "Of course."

Ursa's look of relief turns into worry. "He won't leave the palace. At all."

"At _all?_"

"He won't leave for _anything_. I know he's afraid of what people will say about his face, and that he doesn't want people to stare at him. He just doesn't understand that he got the scar because he was _honorable_—"

Katara can feel her bottom lip beginning to wobble, but she forces herself not to get upset. It wouldn't do to burst into tears.

She jumps a little bit when Ursa reaches across the small table and pats her hand comfortingly. "You're such a sweet girl, like your mother."

A silence stretches out between them and suddenly Katara wants nothing more than to bolt from the table. It's been five years, and she has managed to come to grips with the fact that her mother will never sing her to sleep again, but there's still days when she'd rather not talk about her. Today is one of those days.

Ursa seems to sense what she's feeling and immediately changes the subject. "There's a Festival of Lights coming up in a couple of weeks," she starts, picking up her teacup. "The Royal Family has been known to attend, although I personally wasn't planning on going this year," she explains. "But, I was kind of hoping you could coax Zuko into going with you and Sokka."

Katara nods slowly, thinking. She's pretty sure she can come up with something. "Okay," she says, smiling. "I'll get him to go."

Ursa's face breaks out into a grin and her eyes shine with unshed tears. "He's very lucky to have you as a friend, Katara."

* * *

><p>"There will be egg custard—"<p>

"No."

"—and fireworks—"

"Nope."

"—and dancing—"

"No _way_."

"—and lots of super fun games—"

"Not happening."

"—and I'll be with you the whole time."

Zuko freezes at this and straightens up out of his firebending stance. He looks at her for a moment before turning away. "Absolutely not."

She tries not to let this hurt her feelings. She reminds herself that she's dealing with the New Zuko, and that he's gruffer and more prone to snap at her. She understands why. He defines his life now by what happened Before He Got His Scar and After He Got His Scar.

Katara knows that you can't define your whole life around one event, but she thinks Zuko must come to understand this by himself.

"It would mean a lot to me," she says quietly, taking a tiny step toward him.

He takes a tiny step back. "I know." She can see how upset and frustrated he is. "I _know _and I'm sorry, but I just… I _can't_." He steps completely out of her reach and then he is walking out of the garden, leaving her alone.

* * *

><p>Katara is growing desperate. The Festival of Lights is in three days and she has yet to convince Zuko to go with her. She has tried to have Sokka talk him into going, but Zuko threw a boomerang at him before he could even ask.<p>

This resulted in a fight, leaving Sokka with a black eye and Zuko with a limp. Both boys have made up since then, of course, but Sokka has not tried to ask Zuko about the festival again.

Katara decides that she must be mean and manipulative.

She must use Zuko's own weaknesses against him. She realizes that this kind of makes her a terrible person, but she doesn't care.

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

She bangs on his bedroom door and after a beat it opens up.

"What?" Zuko asks.

Katara takes that as her cue to promptly burst into tears.

She is _messy crying._

Zuko instantly panics.

"WHAT'S WRONG? DID SOMETHING BAD HAPPEN? DID ANYONE HURT YOU?" He quickly lowers his voice. "Don't cry, Katara, okay? What happened?"

"You…won't…go to the…festival with…m-m-me!" she wails dramatically.

Zuko's eyes widen and he starts to shake his head frantically. "No, no, Katara! You know I can't! Please don't cry though! I promise we can do something around here, okay? Now please stop crying—"

She forces herself to sob harder.

Her vision is blurred, but she can sense Zuko's growing alarm. "Please…please don't cry, Katara…" There is a broken quality to his voice, and Katara almost feels bad for doing this to him. Almost.

"_I just want you to go with me!_" Big, fat tears fall out of her eyes. Katara thinks she's being pretty convincing.

Zuko lets out a cry of frustration. "Katara, you _know _I can't…"

She lets out a strangled choking noise and covers her face with her hands.

There's a sigh of dejection. "If I promise to go with you will you please stop crying?"

She nods.

"Then I promise to go with you to the Festival of Lights. Don't cry, okay?"

Her hands fall from her face and her tears instantly clear. "Great!" she says, grinning up at him.

His mouth falls open and he stares down at her stupidly.

"We're going to have an awesome time!" She pats his good cheek before turning and sprinting down the hallway. As she turns the corner she hears an explosion of curses.

She just giggles.

* * *

><p>Katara won't allow Zuko to wear a hood over his head. He grouches at her the whole time they exit the palace and make their way into the city.<p>

In retaliation he refuses to wear his crown so that no one will know who he is.

Katara begrudgingly agrees.

Azula and Sokka have curiously decided to stay behind and watch the fireworks from one of the multitude of palace balconies. They don't bring the wolves either, because they attract too much attention. And scare small children. This is all fine with Katara. This means she can concentrate on making sure that Zuko has a great time.

They reach the center square, where the festival is being held. Katara brushes against him and she can feel him trembling.

She gives his elbow a gentle squeeze and smiles up at him. He looks terrified.

"It's okay, Zuko," she soothes, squeezing his elbow again. "We're going to have fun. I promise."

He nods slowly and gulps. "Fun. Right."

* * *

><p>They get their egg custard first.<p>

Zuko barely touches his, choosing instead to hunker down in his seat and try to tilt the scared side of his face away from everyone walking by.

Katara watches him for a few moments as he does this, trying to think of a way to get him to loosen up a little.

So she flings a spoonful of custard at his face.

"_Hey!_" he shouts, giving her an astounded look.

She simply flings another spoonful at him.

"What do you think you're _doing?_" He quickly wipes off the custard with his napkin, growing furious.

"Having fun," she answers sweetly. When he looks up at her incredulously she merrily grins wolfishly.

Then she flings a third spoonful at him, hitting him squarely on the forehead.

"That's _it_." He stands up swiftly and upturns his entire platter of custard over her head.

She lets out a surprised shriek but is out of her seat in no time. Her revenge will be swift.

She throws fistfuls of custard at him, which he attempts to dodge. Eventually he slips on custard that has hit the ground and falls to the floor in a heap.

People all around them are staring at them in disapproval. But Katara doesn't care because somewhere between having custard thrown at him and falling to the floor, Zuko has started to laugh.

* * *

><p>Zuko isn't very good at the festival games. Mostly because when he can't win he gets frustrated.<p>

So when Katara wins a giant stuffed panda and hands it to Zuko with a flourish, he glowers at her for the next half hour.

* * *

><p>Katara has to bribe Zuko to dance with her. She promises to clean his swords for the next week.<p>

She thinks it's only a small price to pay.

He looks at everything except her face as they step out into the area reserved for dancing. The music is upbeat and happy, and couples are swirling around them with large smiles plastered on their faces.

"I don't really…" Zuko glances around awkwardly before clearing his throat, "…dance."

She gives him a reassuring smile. "That's okay. I'm not that good of a dancer either."

He rolls his eyes at this, but she grabs hold of his hands anyway. Katara quickly learns that Zuko wasn't exaggerating. He steps on her feet on several occasions, and doesn't seem to know what to do with any of his limbs.

Katara takes a moment to observe how much taller and ganglier he is compared to last summer. It's kind of funny, actually.

She hadn't been lying when she'd said she couldn't really dance either. But she's faring much better then Zuko, whose starting to knock into other dancers accidentally.

With some clever maneuvering Katara manages to dance them to the side of the floor before skidding both of them to a stop.

Zuko looks relieved, but his eyes narrow in confusion when she doesn't let go of his hands.

Katara starts to spin them around instead.

Katara has always liked spinning. It's fun. Much more fun than dancing.

She can tell by the way that Zuko is hysterically laughing and shouting that he agrees.

* * *

><p>The fireworks are beautiful. They're red, blue, purple, pink, green and any color you can think of, really.<p>

Katara stands shoulder to shoulder with Zuko. They're standing with the rest of the crowd, watching the explosions light up the night sky.

She glances away from the colorful display and looks up at Zuko. His mouth is open and his eyes are wide with awe and he doesn't seem to care that he's standing around with a bunch of strangers.

For just an instant he's forgotten about his scar.

Katara rapidly blinks her eyes. This is a happy moment and crying would be silly.

She turns her face back towards the sky and wishes that maybe one day he'll forget about his scar permanently.

* * *

><p>It's when they're walking back to the palace that she hears it.<p>

"_Scarface."_ And then someone laughs.

Zuko freezes and all of the happiness that she had worked so hard to see drains off of his face to be replaced with a dead, blank expression. She knows he's simply trying to keep a straight face for her. She knows he doesn't want her to see how much it affects him, how much it hurts him.

But she _does _see.

Katara is furious.

She whirls around, eyes narrowing at two teenage boys standing on the side of the main street.

"_What did you just say?"_

Both boys look surprised, as if they hadn't been expecting the small, petite little girl to turn around and scream at them. The one on the right quickly regains his composure. "Nothing—"

"It wasn't _nothing_," she shouts. She storms right up to them and they gape down at her in shock. "You called my friend a _name_."

The one on the left looks irritated. Katara wonders if he's the one that said it in the first place. "So what?" he spits. "What's it to you?"

"What gives you the right to say _anything about him?" _Her fingers curl into fists and she glares venomously up at them.

The boy on the left narrows his eyes at her. "And what are _you _going to do about it? Protect your _boyfriend_? I mean, he probably gave himself that scar in a firebending accident anyway—"

Katara is practically seeing red as she hauls off and slaps him across the face.

"_YOU SHUT UP. YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING YOU STUPID, BIG-HEADED, UGLY LITTLE—"_

When the boy on the left rushes at her it is reflex that makes her reach out and grab his blood, shoving him back against the wall.

The boy that had been on the right shoots her a look of terror before bolting down the street. Before Katara can do anything else to the boy now slipping down the wall onto the street Zuko yanks her up and starts to drag her towards the palace.

She shouts and squirms the entire way, but he does not relinquish her until they are safely behind palace walls. Then he pulls her into an empty corridor.

"Katara, what did you do back there?"

She has yet to register the fact that she has even bloodbended. She's still seething.

"It was that _jerk_—"

"No, Katara! What did you do to him when you threw him against the wall using…I don't know! What did you _do?_"

She calms down enough to look into his face. There's horror there, and fear. He's trembling again.

She shakes her head, growing afraid. "I don't…I…"

"It was some kind of bending, wasn't it? You bent his…" Zuko is starting to look ill. "You bent his _blood _didn't you? _Didn't you?_"

She's crying and she's so scared he'll look at her like she's the one who's scarred now.

"Hama said that it'll help people. That we can save lives using it."

He's already backing away from her and he doesn't stop until his back hits the wall on the other side of the corridor.

"That technique can really hurt people, Katara. You have to learn how to control it!" There is a tremor in his voice, but he keeps her gaze.

"I'm so sorry!" she says, gasping now. She doesn't want him to think less of her. She doesn't think she can deal with that. She was just trying to stick up for him.

"It's...it's okay," he says softly. He doesn't look so horrified anymore. He just looks tired. "You just sort of freaked me out, that's all. I don't think you'd ever intentionally hurt anybody anyway."

She doesn't have the heart to tell him that he's wrong.

Instead she looks down at her feet and tries to catch her breath. "Yeah."

She finally looks up and catches Zuko watching her. They stare at each other for a long time, as if taking each other in.

Katara once again reminds herself that things will never be like how they were before last summer. Things are different now.

She has yet to decide whether this is a good or a bad thing.

She thinks that maybe she'll have to see how things play out. That they both will.

* * *

><p>The next day Zuko finds her and asks her to explain the positive things about bloodbending. She spends the entire afternoon showing her all the techniques that Hama has taught her. Zuko looks impressed at the majority of them, even going so far as to say that these techniques could greatly improve modern medicine.<p>

When they eat lunch together in the garden he thanks her for standing up for him the night before. He also assures her that her bloodbending doesn't make her a monster, and that he's sorry if he gave her that impression last night.

Then they spend the rest of the day throwing discs (mostly ice, some wooden) for Nukka and Sang to catch.

Before they go their separate ways to their own bedrooms, Katara reaches out and brushes her fingertips across a good part of Zuko's cheek, a park that sits right under his burn. She won't touch his scar yet. She knows that neither of them are ready for that.

She tells him that he's not a monster either.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**See? Told you that this chapter would be happier.**

**Thank you all for the amazing reviews! I truly appreciate them!**

**And to everyone who wished me a happy vacation, thank you! I had a ton of fun at all of the parks! I'll be broke until Christmas, but it was worth it. :) **


	13. Thirteen and Fifteen

Azula is acting funny.

She's snapping at him and throwing fireballs at him in the hallways, and occasionally Zuko spots servants carrying strips of cloth into her room.

Zuko is confused. And when Zuko is confused he goes to Lu Ten.

So Lu Ten explains to Zuko what happens to girls when they "become a woman" and then proceeds to tell him that it's best to leave them be when they're experiencing their "time of the month" for fear of keeping one's reproductive organs.

Zuko doesn't consider himself a deeply religious person, but that night he spends a few minutes thanking Agni that he was born a boy.

* * *

><p>Zuko is starting to notice the opposite sex. It's kind of disconcerting.<p>

Like today after firebending practice he watched as one of the servant girls bent over, giving him an eye full of cleavage.

Zuko immediately thought about sex.

He can't really help it. It's like his mind just _goes there_ without his permission.

He finds that his mind _especially _goes there at night when he's thinking about girls in his bed. When he's alone. And it's dark. And there's no one around…

Zuko gets used to changing his bed sheets on a regular basis.

* * *

><p>"Zuko!" Katara squeals, throwing her arms around him in a welcoming hug. Zuko moves in to return it and then freezes.<p>

Katara's body isn't as straight and narrow as it has been in the past. There are some _curves _there that weren't there before. They're nice…

Zuko quickly backs out of the hug, blushing profusely. He decides to stare at Katara's feet. That seems safest.

Katara starts talking a mile a minute, telling him all about what's going on in the South Pole and how Hama thinks she's close to mastering waterbending and how some boy visiting from the Northern Water Tribe had a crush on her—

"What?" he snaps, eyes narrowing.

She gives him a look of confusion. "Uh, there was a guy—"

"—making goo-goo eyes at my sister." Sokka strides up and pats Zuko on the shoulder. "Don't worry. I took care of him before he got grabby."

Katara rolls her eyes and pulls a face. "I didn't like him anyway. He was kind of a jerk."

Zuko is red from irritation now.

He pictures some Nameless Northern Water Tribe Guy in his head. Then he pictures himself pummeling him.

"But that doesn't matter, you should have let me handle it myself," Katara continues, crossing her arms over her chest and huffing.

Oh. Katara's _chest_.

Then Zuko is distracted again by all these new body parts and forgets all about Nameless Northern Water Tribe Guy.

"And let some random guy make grabby hands at my sister? You're practically still a baby!"

Katara splutters in indignation and Sokka jabs Zuko in the ribs with his elbow. "Zuko gets it! He probably would have done the same thing if he'd have been there. Right?"

Zuko nods dumbly. "Uh huh."

Katara flips her long hair over her shoulder angrily before marching away from them with her chin held high.

Zuko stares after her for a moment in silence, thoroughly dumbfounded.

Oh boy.

* * *

><p>The next day they're back to throwing ice discs to Sang and Nukka and Zuko finds himself feeling very relieved.<p>

Katara is still Katara, even if she has extra _stuff_. Nothing else has changed, of course. Nothing at all.

* * *

><p>This play is <em>terrible <em>and Zuko isn't sure how he, Sokka and Lu Ten got roped into seeing this.

Katara is on his right and Lu Ten is on his left, with Sokka on the other side of Katara. The play is called _Two Dragons _and Zuko stopped paying attention half an hour ago. He's counting down the minutes until they can leave. In fact, the only think good about the play is the female lead. She's considerably attractive and unlike the rest of the cast she can actually carry a tune. Zuko notices Lu Ten watching her closely from the corner of his eye.

Zuko also notices that Katara is glowering at the stage.

She's been in a _horrible _mood the last couple of days and Zuko literally has no idea what he's done that's made her so angry, but she snaps at him more than she ever has before and gets frustrated easily.

Zuko decides he'll have to ask Lu Ten about this after the play. Maybe there's something to do that'll get Katara out of this funk and make her happy again.

He would ask Sokka, but Sokka is oblivious.

And then the curtains are closing and the play is over. Lu Ten is cheering loudly and Zuko has to resist the urge to join in. Not because the play was good, of course, but because it was finally _finished._

Never again, he swears.

Lu Ten stands up slowly, still clapping, and Zuko and Sokka take his lead and stand up as well. They all maneuver out of the pew, but when Zuko realizes that Katara isn't following them he turns around with furrowed eyebrows.

"Aren't you coming?"

Her eyes are wide and horrified and she hesitates before standing up. Then she promptly sits back down.

"Uh, no. You guys can go on without me. I'll, uh, catch up."

"But…you can't walk back to the palace by yourself. We have a palanquin waiting—"

"I know! That's okay. Um, it's just so nice and cool here and, um. Yeah."

Zuko tilts his head to the side. "Okay…"

Katara shifts in her seat and cringes. "Or actually," she starts," maybe when you guys get back to the palace you could send your mom? Or maybe Azula? Or even a female servant? And I'll just be here."

Now Zuko is _really _confused. "You can't just stay here, Katara. And why would you need my mom?"

Katara's cheeks turn bright red. She looks like she's about to panic. "Something girly," she squeaks.

"What's taking so long?" Zuko hears Sokka shout. Katara makes a whimpering noise.

"I just… Please Zuko?" she pleads.

Zuko isn't sure what to do. He could do what Katara asks, or he can do what he feels like he should do, which is make sure that she's okay and help her out.

He takes a moment to think. Why _would _Katara need his mom? And why is she refusing to even stand up?

Wait. Maybe… Oh.

_Oh._

Period. Katara. _Period._

Zuko suddenly wants to melt into the floor and die.

Instead he shrugs off his vest and hands it to her.

"You can just like, wrap that around yourself."

Katara has possibly turned even redder. "Oh…okay…"

"Just. You can use that to cover up. That. Yeah. And then we'll be at the palace."

Zuko isn't sure who is more embarrassed.

"Okay," Katara says, voice barely audible. She quickly stands up and faces him, wrapping his vest around her waist and holding it in place before looking down at the floor.

Zuko makes her walk in front of him on their way to the palanquin, just in case.

* * *

><p>When they get back to the palace Katara sprints to her room.<p>

Zuko goes to his mother's and gently knocks on the door.

When his mother opens up she smiles at him, expectant.

"Uh, Katara needs you. For girl stuff."

Ursa furrows her eyebrows. "Alright."

"I think, erm, she started that thing. That happens to girls. Every month."

Ursa's eyes widen in comprehension. She quickly steps out of her room and closes the door behind her. "I'll go see her right now." She pats his head and gives him a kiss on the cheek before hurrying off.

* * *

><p>Zuko has been given a room that serves as his "office".<p>

It's really where he's supposed to do school work, but it looks official so Zuko feels important whenever he's inside of it.

When Katara pokes her head in, however, he drops everything in order to look up at her from his desk.

"Um," she begins, twisting her hands. "I just wanted to thank you for, uh, helping me out last night. It was very nice of you. And thanks for not saying anything to Sokka. He would have made it ten times worse."

Zuko shrugs one shoulder, trying very hard not to sink into his chair. "No problem. You would've done the same for me if I'd been in that situation."

He realizes how stupid that sounded right after he says it.

But Katara is already grinning and there's a pretty glean in her eye so he thinks it might be worth it.

"Yeah, if and when it's your _time of the month, _Zuko, I'll be sure to help you out if you need it." She turns and leaves his office, giggling.

He buries his face into his hands and groans.

* * *

><p>A few days later it is Sokka who strides into his office with something under his shirt.<p>

"I have been waiting for this," Sokka announces before pulling out a bottle of _something _and placing it on Zuko's desk, right on top of some paper work that Zuko had been looking over for learning purposes.

"What's that?" Zuko asks, tapping the bottle with his ink brush.

"Some really nice pirates gave it to me at an Earth Kingdom port we stopped at on the way here." Sokka is practically bouncing up and down with excitement.

"Wow. I'm not drinking that."

Sokka's face falls almost comically. "Oh _come on_ man! They call it the Golden Lady, and it's supposed to make you laugh till you throw up."

"Wow. I'm not drinking that."

"You can't tell me you're not the least bit curious."

Zuko would be lying if he said he wasn't. Fire Nation boys were encouraged to wait until they were sixteen to drink, it was kind of a rite of passage, but Zuko had always wondered what Lu Ten meant when he talked about getting "blasted".

But the fact that this came from pirates for _free _just didn't bode well.

Before Zuko can even open his mouth Sokka is already pouring them two small glasses of the amber liquid. He then holds out a glass to Zuko.

"Drink up, or I'll tell Katara that you think her hair loopies are stupid."

"But I don't—"

"Besides, you know you want to."

Zuko slowly takes his glass out of Sokka's hand and sniffs whatever is inside. It smells sweet.

And he _is _curious.

"Fine," he grumbles.

Sokka grins. "Awesome." He clinks his glass with Zuko's. "Drink up me 'earties, yo ho."

They toss back their drinks.

* * *

><p>"The rhinos, man. <em>The rhinos are coming<em>."

They're in the garden, trying to climb up a tree.

Zuko stumbles around the base of the tree, laughing.

Sokka smacks his shoulder and snorts. "Give me a…leg up." He swats at an imaginary bug. "Or I'll…fall."

Zuko feebly grabs at Sokka's leg and awkwardly catches his foot instead. They stand there like that for a full minute before they both topple over onto the grass.

Zuko rolls over and stars blearily up at the sky.

"Stars are pretty," he mumbles, turning over and accidentally hitting Sokka in the face.

* * *

><p>Zuko feels super warm and bubbly.<p>

He's been telling the Head Chef in the Royal Kitchen how lovely chicken is for the past six minutes.

"And it's like…you eat it. Ya know?"

The Head Chef is staring at him with a mix of astonishment and amusement. "Um, Prince—"

"Zuko!" There's a loud clash of pots and pans hitting the floor. Sokka pops up and immediately places a pot on top of his head. "It's my new hat!"

* * *

><p>They have somehow stumbled back into Zuko's office.<p>

"Agni," Zuko grumble, "it's so hot." He spends the next three minutes struggling out of his shirt before sliding onto the floor. "My hair feels heavy," he moans.

Sokka is sprawled out across his desk. "Want me to cut it?"

Zuko instantly brightens. "Yes."

Sokka spends the next few minutes rummaging around for a pair of scissors before sinking down onto the floor next to Zuko.

Zuko gestures feebly to his head. "My crown. Make sure to take it—"

_Snip._

His crown clatters to the floor and Zuko watches it roll under his desk.

"Dude…_ you look awesome._"

"Really?" Zuko is giddy.

Sokka is already passed out on the floor, scissors still in hand.

* * *

><p>Zuko's eyes open groggily.<p>

Someone has stuck a sword into his head. That's the only explanation for this horrendous headache.

He groans and slowly gets into a sitting position. He stares down at the ground.

His hair is all over the floor.

He's instantly awake, grabbing his crown out from under his desk, getting a fistful of what's left of his hair and attempting to pull it into a topknot.

Except his hair is too short now.

"_SOKKA!_"

The Water Tribe boy jerks to attention. "WHAT IS IT, BOOMERANG?"

Zuko smacks him across the face to fully wake him up. "_YOU CUT OFF MY HAIR!"_

"What?"

"It's _all over the floor!_"

"It's not _all _on the floor. There's still some on your head."

"_SOK_—"

"What the heck's going on in here? Azula and I can hear you two shouting from my bedroom." Katara is standing in the doorway, eyes narrowed in disapproval. When she sees the now empty bottle lying on the floor her eyes turn into slits.

"Really, Sokka? Really?"

"Shut up." Her brother slowly gets to his feet, Zuko following after.

Katara's mouth falls open when she sees Zuko.

"Your…your hair…"

All Zuko wants to do is hide. "Sokka cut it," he mumbles. "It's too short for a top knot now, and I can't wear my crown."

But Katara's gaze has drifted from his hair to his…stomach?

Then Zuko remembers he's still shirtless.

He crosses his arms over his chest and clears his throat.

He also may have flexed his biceps. Just a little bit.

She visibly gulps and her eyes slowly travel up his upper torso and settle on his face. Zuko suddenly feels naked under her stare. Vulnerable.

"Okay," she squeaks. Then she turns and quickly exits the room.

"Spirits, is my sister weird," Sokka mutters before slowly making his way to the door.

"Where are you going?" Zuko asks, tone still accusatory.

"To curl up somewhere and die."

* * *

><p>He doesn't see Katara until right before he heads to bed.<p>

"Zuko!" she calls, and he turns around to see her jogging down the hallway toward him.

"I think I have a solution for your crown problem," she says as she stops in front of him, cheeks flushed. She holds up a strip of shiny golden ribbon.

"Give me your crown," she demands, holding out one hand. He complies, pulling his crown out of his pocket and then handing it over to her. He watches as she loops the ribbon through the crown. She motions for him to lean down, so he does. He feels her fingers ghost over his neck and she leans forward so that she can see what she's doing, just barely brushing her cheek with his.

His heartbeat quickens and he can't help but feel a little unsteady on his feet.

When she finally knots the ribbon she steps back and looks at the crown-necklace now resting against his chest. "It'll work until you can pull your hair back into a topknot again. But…" She reaches forward and ruffles his hair with a giggle. "I think I like this new length on you." She tugs on a lock affectionately before pulling away.

"Thank you," he says softly. His heart is still pounding.

"You're welcome." She pushes against his shoulder playfully and he wonders when he got so much taller than her. She turns and starts to make her way back down the hallway. "And next time Sokka tries to talk you into to drinking anything, _don't do it_." He can practically hear the grin in her voice. Katara turns the corner and is gone, leaving him standing in the middle of the hallway with a dumbfounded expression.

He goes to bed right after that and falls asleep grinning into his pillow.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**Puberty! Puberty!**

**Periods and getting drunk for the first time, all covered in one chapter! *wipes forehead* Phew! **

**I'm sure most of you have seen the new trailer for **_**The Legend of Korra**_** by now. I guess I can go ahead and say that I already ship the fuck out of Mako/Korra (also known as Makorra, and don't judge me) and I've already written a funny little ficlet for them called **_**Apology**_**. It's entirely speculation when it comes to characterization, of course, but you should check it out! **

**Anyway, please drop me a review and tell me if you liked this chapter or not :D**


	14. Fourteen and Sixteen

This is ridiculous.

Katara had been calmly making her way through her bending forms.

It's not like she had been doing anything erotic or putting anything on _display._

So naturally Katara is surprised to look up from her bending and see Kamik, a boy her age visiting from the North Pole, watching her with rapt attention.

And he's seems to _like what he sees._

Katara turns bright red, and then Kamik realizes what's going on and he turns bright red too.

He scampers off before she can say anything.

Katara goes back to her bending forms, not really sure what to make of the situation.

Katara _does _think about sex. A lot, actually. But at least when she thinks about sex there isn't a part of her body that feels the need to perk up and announce itself.

Katara doesn't consider herself a deeply religious person, but that night she takes a few moments to thank Tu and La for making her a girl.

* * *

><p>The next day Katara spots a dark bruise on Kamik's jaw. Katara suspects it's Sokka's handiwork.<p>

* * *

><p>Katara is feeding Nukka when she finds out. She and Sokka are outside. Katara is watching Nukka carefully and Sokka is leaning casually against their home carving a knife.<p>

"Do you think…" She pauses and bites her lip. "Do you think there's something going on with Zuko?"

Sokka looks up at her curiously. "Why?"

Katara stares at the ground and kicks up some snow. "It's just, his letters have seemed so distant and vague lately. Like he's distracted or something. You don't think anything bad has happened, do you?"

Horrible images of a further burned Zuko fill her mind and she quickly pushes them away, trying to focus.

Sokka rolls his eyes and goes back to his carving. "Oh. He's probably just spending a lot of time with Mai."

Something plummeted. Katara wasn't sure if it was her stomach or her heart. Perhaps her heart had plummeted _into _her stomach.

"Who is Mai?"

Sokka pauses in his carving. "Zuko's girlfriend. They've been dating for like, five months now or something." He shrugs before looking back down. "I'm sure he's talked about her, you just overlooked it or whatever."

Katara is both enraged and depressed. "No," she says sharply. "He didn't."

Sokka stops carving altogether. "Really? He's never mentioned her to you? Not once?"

Katara shakes her head.

Sokka looks floored. "Wow. I mean, I read about her at least once in all of his letters. He seems to like her a lot." At the look of dejection on Katara's face Sokka hurries and backpedals. "I'm sure he's just telling me about her because we're bros, you know? We talk about girls and stuff—"

"But Zuko is my _best friend! _He's supposed to tell me stuff like this! I'm not supposed to find out from _you._"

Sokka quickly throws up his hands in order to placate her. "Geez, Katara! Don't shoot the messenger! I'm sure that Azula tells you stuff that she doesn't tell me, simply because you're both girls!"

Katara huffs and crosses her arms over her chest. That was _technically _true. Azula trusted her with more secrets then she trusted Sokka with, but still. Of course, now that Katara thought about it, Azula hadn't mentioned Mai either.

Katara lets out a scream of frustration and stomps away.

* * *

><p>That evening the men and some of the wolves bring back an elk that they had taken down. In the back of her mind Katara names the dead elk 'Mai'.<p>

Sadistic? Perhaps.

Necessary? Absolutely.

* * *

><p>Her first day back in the Fire Nation is odd.<p>

She doesn't see Zuko for the first time until she, Hakoda and Sokka have reached the palace. That's when she notices that Zuko has _changed._

And it's totally for the better.

He's even taller now, which Katara didn't think was possible, and he has filled out since last summer. His hair is shaggy and attractively falls in his eyes. He looks regal and charming and suddenly Katara is feeling nervous and shaky.

She watches Sokka greet Zuko with enthusiasm. They don't hug (it isn't _manly_, as Sokka says), instead they do a complicated handshake that they must have formulated over the past few summers.

Katara clears her throat and warily moves up to them both.

Zuko turns his head to look at her, and the smile fades off of his face to be replaced with a blank, wide eyed expression.

She waits for him to speak, wrapping her arms around herself and trying not to feel exposed. When the silence continues she clears her throat again and gives him an awkward wave. "Hey."

He shakes his head and stands up straighter. "Hi," he squeaks. He coughs, clearly uncomfortable, before reaching up and rubbing the back of his neck. "Good to see you."

She nods, giving him a strained smile. He returns it feebly. The silence continues.

Sokka rolls his eyes. "Well, while you two size each other up I'm going to go unpack my stuff." He disappears into the palace, leaving behind a scarlet Zuko and Katara.

Zuko drops his hand to the side and shifts his feet around. "Erm… Sorry, I wasn't—"

"It's fine," Katara says quickly, not at all sure what he's apologizing for.

"Okay." He nods slowly, openly staring at her. Then he shakes his head and looks down at the ground. "Uh… I'm really glad you're here, Katara."

Her heart speeds up when he says her name. "Me too."

When she finally reaches her room she makes a point to fall into her bed dramatically.

* * *

><p>Katara hates Mai.<p>

She realizes that this is unfair, but she can't help it.

Mai is older than her.

Mai is prettier than her.

Mai is _skinnier _than her.

Mai is _with Zuko._

Katara _hates _Mai.

They were all hanging out in the gardens at one point, but Sokka left to go eat a snack and possibly take a nap, leaving her and Azula on one side of the garden and Zuko and Mai on the other.

Every once and awhile Katara will catch Zuko glancing over his shoulder at her and his sister, and when he does that she tries to make her expression less severe.

Mai looks prim and proper next to her boyfriend, the perfect picture of nobility.

Katara's eyes narrow into slits.

She glances down at herself. Her hips and breasts are a predominant part of her body now, something that is both exhilarating and tiresome, and she's dressed in her usual light robes and leggings.

She'll _never _look like Mai. She'll never be rail thin or wear luxurious clothes (not that she really _wants _to; silk is horrid in heat, but still), and she has a hunch that she'll never be as formal or as stately as Mai either.

Katara sighs, disheartened, and starts to pick at the grass.

"This is ridiculous."

Katara peers at Azula, whose sitting up straight and glaring at her.

"What is?"

Instead of answering Azula rolls her eyes and stands up, fire igniting in her palms. "If you won't make her leave then I guess I'll have to."

Panicking, Katara reaches up, grabs Azula's wrist and yanks her back to the ground. "No!" she hisses. "You can't do that!"

The Fire Princess raises an eyebrow. "You obviously dislike her, so I'm going to make her leave." She moves to get up again, but Katara grabs hold of her arm and holds fast.

"It's not that I don't like her—"

Azula rolls her eyes.

"—okay, maybe she's not my favorite person in the world, but she's Zuko's girlfriend. And it would upset him if you made her leave."

Azula examines her face for a long moment before sighing and pulling her arm out of Katara's grasp. "I'm not stupid," she says haughtily. "You two have been close friends for so long, but this past week it's like he's been avoiding you. It's ridiculous." She throws up a hand and shakes her head. "I mean, Zuzu is a _complete _blockhead, but he's always been smarter when it comes to you."

Katara bites her lips and shrugs one shoulder. "He really likes spending time with Mai, I guess."

Azula shakes her head in her brother's direction. "No, he's just stupid. Well, most men are stupid."

"Hey!" came an indignant voice.

Both girls turn around to see Sokka looking down at them with an offended expression. He touches his thumb to his chest. "I for one am _not _stupid."

Azula turns back around and sniffs. "That's right."

Sokka perks up, lips starting to quirk into a smile. "Really?"

"Really. You're the true exception."

He sticks out his chest and nods. "You bet I am."

"You're not just simply stupid; you're a complete and utter _imbecile_."

Sokka's mouth falls open and his shoulders slump. Azula looks up at him and promptly bursts out laughing, effectively making Katara laugh.

Sokka kicks up dirt at both girls, making them gasp. "You guys _suck_."

Azula stands up, grabs a fistful of dirt and flings at Sokka, who quickly moves to retaliate.

Katara watches from the ground as the two start a dirt ball battle, and she can't help but feel a little lighter.

* * *

><p>If Zuko is avoiding Katara, then Katara is avoiding Zuko as well.<p>

She's been in the Fire Nation nearly a month and the two of them haven't had a proper conversation.

She can't help but feel a little depressed about this, which is why she's decided to spend today doing a little bit of moping. She's wandering around the halls, quietly following behind Nukka.

The black wolf has her nose to the floor, sniffing something out, when she turns the corner and nearly runs into Sang.

Both wolves look excited to see the other, both moving forward to lick each other. Katara grins down at them before looking up to see Zuko doing the same.

When he finally glances up and catches her gaze he freezes for a moment before offering a small but genuine smile.

"Hey, Katara."

She smiles back, despite herself. "Hi. Mai not here?"

His smile falters and he shakes his head. "No. She had a family event today."

"Oh." Katara clasps her hands together and leans against the wall. "That's too bad."

"Not really."

Katara's head jerks up in surprise, noticing Zuko's equally shocked expression and red face.

"Oh?" she asks, growing curious.

"Yeah. It's kind of nice to have a day off."

Katara quirks an eyebrow. "A day off from your girlfriend?" She can already feel a smile forming on her lips.

Zuko's eyes widen as he realizes what he's said, but he doesn't move to deny it. "That sounds awful, doesn't it?"

She's grinning now. "Pretty much."

He grins back, and for a blissful moment it's like they haven't been avoiding each other at all these past few weeks.

Zuko's expression softens. "I want to show you something I found the other day. Will you come with me?"

She quickly nods and he suddenly looks nervous, but turns around and gestures for her to follow him.

He leads her into the library, and she glances around in interest. "What did you want to show me?"

Now he looks excited. "It's back here." He leads her to the back corner, where there's a stack of old papers resting on a shelf. She pulls out one of the pieces of paper and immediately starts to giggle.

It's all of their old drawings and pictures from when they were little.

Fifteen minutes later they're sitting on the ground, shoulder to shoulder, leaning against the wall.

"Look, it's you! I totally drew this!" Katara exclaims, handing Zuko a picture she'd pulled from the pile.

He looks disgusted. "How is that _possibly _me? It's literally a blob of red and yellow."

She snatches back the picture and glowers at him, sticking her chin in the air. "I thought that it was quite accurate."

He rolls his eyes and goes back to rummaging through the pile. Then he gasps. "This is my drawing that you _stole _and _ruined_." He turns and gives her a look of pure childish indignation.

And Katara can't help it. She starts laughing uncontrollably, and soon Zuko is too.

She leans her head against his shoulder, eyes starting to water as she clutches at her sides. She feels Zuko's chin brush her forehead as he turns his head and she can _feel _him laughing and suddenly they're so _close_…

Their laughter trails off and she slowly lifts her head from his shoulder and gazes up at him.

She doesn't think she's ever been this close to him before, physically. Their noses are just barely grazing.

Zuko's Adam's apple bobs as he gulps and a Katara's breath quickens. Then he's slowly reaching up and tenderly brushing hair behind her ear, his stare flickering between her eyes and her lips.

Katara knows what's coming and her heart hammers in anticipation.

They both start to lean in at the same time—

"Oh!"

They leap apart to find Fire Lord Iroh looking down at them with what can only be described as utter delight. "Don't mind me!" he says, quickly grabbing a scroll and exiting the library.

But the moment has been shattered, leaving the two teenagers blushing and unable to make eye contact.

"So!" Katara exclaims, quickly standing up and brushing non existent dirt off of her robes. "Thank you for showing me these. It was…fun."

He looks up at her and she can see his disappointment written clearly on his face. "Yeah."

She takes a step back, biting her lip and not really knowing what else to say. "I guess I'll see you at dinner?"

His expression suddenly looks hopeful. "Yeah?"

He nods slowly. "Yeah."

* * *

><p>Things are both more weird and less weird after that.<p>

Less weird because they've stopped avoiding each other and have started to hang out again.

More weird because they both know what almost happened in the library and yet neither are willing to admit it out loud.

Also, Katara can't help but be annoyed whenever she sees Zuko and Mai together.

Katara reassures herself with the knowledge that if she and Mai were ever to fight, Katara could take her down. Bitch.

When Azula asks why she's looking so smug, Katara merrily shrugs her shoulders and shakes her head.

* * *

><p>"Zuko needs to dump Mai."<p>

"Why do you say that, Sokka?"

"I tried to show her my boomerang and she embedded one of her stupid knives in it. Also, she takes away from Bro Time."

"Oh."

"This is serious."

"Sure."

"I mean, _anyone _else but her, to be honest."

"…_anyone _else?"

"Uh huh… Katara? What's with that look?"

"Huh? Oh. Nothing."

"You're so weirdest sister ever. How did I get stuck with you?"

* * *

><p>They're leaving in an hour.<p>

Katara is miserable because of it.

She throws her clothes and belongings into her bag, fuming. She jumps a bit when Sang bounds onto her bed. She smiles, knowing who must be behind her.

"Come to see me off?" she asks, turning around.

Zuko nods, casually leaning against her door frame. "I can't come down to the dock." He looks legitimately bummed about it too.

"Mai?" Katara resists the urge to roll her eyes and huff.

He winces slightly, catching on to her animosity. "Yeah."

She frowns, but tries not to let it make her angry. "Can I ask you something?"

He nods, looking slightly apprehensive. "Anything."

Katara takes a deep breath and then spits it out. "You never told me about Mai in your letters. How come?"

Zuko visibly pales. "Um."

She taps a foot, waiting.

He finally sighs, defeated. "It just felt…weird, talking about girls with you."

Katara's mind instantly goes back to the afternoon in the library and she wonders if anything will ever work out in her favor. She wonders why they can't just be honest with each other.

"But I'm your best friend."

He shifts his feet awkwardly and shrugs. "I know." He sends her a look of guilt and…something else. Something she doesn't quite understand. "I'm sorry."

The tension between them suddenly skyrockets and Katara digs her nails into her palms in an attempt to keep her hands from trembling. "Don't worry about it." Her voice cracks and she feels like she's about to cry.

The next thing she knows she's being crushed against his chest. She can feel the erratic beat of his heart.

"I'm going to miss you _so much_, okay?"

She nods against him, moving her hands to fist into the back of his shirt.

She feels so confused.

"Please don't hate me."

Katara's eyes furrow in further befuddlement, not sure at all why he said that. "Of course not," she says, pulling back to gaze up at him. "Of course not," she repeats, voice a mere whisper.

For a moment she thinks that their unfinished business from the library is about to be finished from the way he's looking at her, but then he seems to remember himself and steps away.

"I have to go. Write me, alright?"

She nods and watches him start to move towards the door.

He turns and points a finger at his wolf. "Sang, _stay_."

At the look Katara gives him he sighs. "He can't come with me."

"How come?"

"It's because of Mai. He growls every time he sees her."

* * *

><p>The Earth Kingdom port they've stopped at is bustling with people, more so then usual.<p>

Katara and Sokka stand by a vendor, waiting for Hakoda to finish up with his business. Finally Sokka breaks.

"What's going on?" he asks the vendor. The old man on the other side of the stand gives them a sour expression. "Some political riff raff. These young kids are going around the Kingdom and talking about _democracy _and _freedom from the obstructive monarchy _or some crap like that. Wanna start a _revolution_. Like that'll ever happen." The old man grumbles something else under his breath.

Sokka looks instantly fascinated, but Katara isn't. "I'm going to go look around," she announces before walking away.

She's looking at jewelry when he passes her.

She has been surreptitiously looking at him over her shoulder because he _is _cute, but she is still fairly surprised when he walks past her, glances at her before and then immediately steps back and stops in front of her.

He is tall and tan, with lean muscle and unkept brown hair. His light brown eyes are bright with the promise of mischief.

"Well hello there." He holds out a calloused hand, which Katara takes. He doesn't shake her hand, but instead runs a thumb over her knuckles, making Katara blush.

"I'm Jet."

She smiles up at him. "I'm Katara."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**ANGST ANGST ANGST.**

**Poor Katara. And Zuko, really.**

**BUT YAY JET. *fangirls* **

**The alternative title for this chapter should be Calm Before the Storm, to be honest, since the next chapter is kind of crazy. In the good way. Hopefully.**

**Anywho, thank you so much for the enthusiastic and supportive reviews! I read and cherish them all. Also, to those of you who haven't been reviewing but have been awkwardly lurking, I want to hear from you guys too. ;)**

**Review and let me know what you think!**


	15. Fifteen and Seventeen

The reasons why Zuko started to date Mai could be summed up in two sentences.

He was curious.

Mai seemed to like him.

* * *

><p>Zuko needs to break up with Mai.<p>

And he had been meaning to, he had! Except, Zuko wasn't sure how to go about it.

He may not be _in love _with Mai, but they had had fun and he wasn't too keen on hurting anyone's feelings. He did care enough about Mai to not want to hurt her, it seemed unfair. But then, he didn't really want to date her anymore, either. Their relationship had run its course.

So Zuko does the next best thing. He avoids her like the plague.

He had been doing fairly well too, except today she had practically cornered him and politely asked him to tea in front of his Uncle.

Zuko sighs. Uncle would be upset if he refused, especially since he didn't have anything else to do. So he agrees.

It's already awkward.

Mai never puts anything in her tea, but she waits until he's done dumping four spoonfuls of sugar and some cream into his before she starts to drink hers. Zuko takes a few sips before setting down his tea cup in silence. Then he stares at his napkin.

He hears the soft clinking of Mai's cup being set down as well and then, "I'm leaving."

He immediately looks up at her, slightly surprised. "Really?"

"Really." She blinks, placing her hands in her lap.

Zuko gulps, having no idea what to say.

She lets out a tiny little breath. "This is where we break up."

Zuko's eyes widen in utter shock. "Wha—"

"You've been avoiding me for a month. It's time."

"I…" he stumbles around, searching for the right words. "We had lunch that one time," he says in an attempt at self defense, but he can feel his cheeks turning red in humiliation.

"Also, you dog hates me. This was going to happen sooner or later."

Zuko is completely baffled.

She picks her tea cup back up. "The feeling is mutual, by the way."

"Wha—"

"I hate your dog too."

Zuko stares at her for a moment. "Wolf," he finally corrects feebly.

"That's nice."

She purses her lips and turns her head slightly, and Zuko realizes after a beat that she's trying not to laugh.

Not that Mai laughs much.

"My family and I leave for Ember Island tomorrow, and then we'll travel the Earth Kingdom." Her eyes flick up (an eye roll in Mai terms) and she lets out a forlorn sigh, as if the idea of traveling and seeing the world is such a chore.

Zuko goes back to staring at his napkin. "I'm sure you'll have fun." He catches a barely audible snort.

There's another long stretch of silence, and Zuko starts to wonder how much longer this will last.

"Next time you want to break up with a girl you should probably just do it instead of avoiding her and trying to be the Nice Guy."

This time Zuko looks back up at her, feeling guilty. Mai's expression is fairly blank until the corner of her mouth quirks forward—but just barely. "Silly."

Zuko sticks a spoon into his tea and starts to stir just to have something to do. "I didn't want to hurt your feelings."

Her right eyebrow quirks.

"Not that I'd be able to tell if your feelings were hurt…"

She gives him a tiny smirk.

* * *

><p>That evening Zuko walks into his office in a light mood. It lightens even more when he sees the Water Tribe sealed letter sitting atop his desk.<p>

He practically leaps across the room, grabbing the letter and ripping open the seal with gusto.

It's been a little while since he's heard from Katara, and he hopes she's doing okay—

Except it's from her brother instead.

Zuko's light mood deflates a little.

_Zuko,_

_First off, thanks a ton for sending the Fire Flakes as I was in desperate need of Fire Nation junk food. If you want seal jerky let me know! Second, I'm going to need your help with something important in a few months when me and Katara come to visit for the summer. She's dating some douchebag named Jet. I know what you're thinking. What the hell kind of name is that? But this is seriously not—_

Thirty seconds later Azula throws open the door, fireball in hand.

"What's wrong, what's going on? Why'd you shout?"

The letter is smoking in Zuko's hands. "Nothing," he grunts.

Azula strolls up to his desk and glares down at him. "Letter, please."

He hands it to her wordlessly.

Her eyes scan over it quickly. Then she snorts and starts laughing, handing the letter back to Zuko. As she walks out of his office she pauses and calls out over her shoulder, "You kind of deserved this."

Zuko sets the letter on fire.

* * *

><p>When Lu Ten slams open the door to his office two hours later and struts in with a huge smile on his face, Zuko nearly throws his ink brush at him.<p>

Instead he watches Lu Ten make a show out of pulling back a chair and sitting down. Then he pats Sang on the head, leans forward and grins.

Zuko glares a little. "What's with you?"

Lu Ten's smile grows, if that's even possible. "Guess what?"

Zuko rolls his eyes, not having any desire to play games. "What?"

Lu Ten is practically bouncing in his seat. "I'm getting married!" he finally shouts, as if he can no longer hold it in. Then he lets out another gleeful shout and falls back into the chair with a lovesick sigh.

Zuko isn't amused.

"Oh, okay."

Lu Ten is completely oblivious to Zuko's less than enthusiastic response. "I mean, it was about time I asked, I guess, and I thought she was going to say no. But then she didn't! And now we're getting married in two months in the summer time so all your little friends will be there!"

Zuko bites his lip at the prospect of seeing Katara all dressed up. The mental picture he was getting was nice—

"Wait," he says, shaking his head in order to clear his thoughts. "You are you marrying anyway?"

Lu Ten's grin turns a little sly. "An actress."

An actress as the future Fire Lady? Oh, the nobles would _love _that.

"Does Uncle approve?"

"Are you kidding me? He loves her. Every time he sees her performance in _Fire of the Dawn_ he weeps. He'll be delighted."

Zuko's cousin spends the next ten minutes sighing and waxing poetic about his new fiancé.

People in love are weird, Zuko decides.

* * *

><p>She's gotten prettier.<p>

Zuko didn't think that was even possible.

Zuko has a lot to learn.

Her hair is longer, it's a bit past her shoulders now. The curls are very loose, in fact her hair is more wavy than anything, but nevertheless it's beautiful. The sunlight that's hitting it is making the normally dark brown color more of a chestnut. And it just looks so _soft_…

And then she's smiling and Zuko is temporarily distracted. Her lips are a lovely pinkish color. Great for kissing, Zuko suspects.

His gaze scans lower, past the graceful slope of her neck, past her chestnut hair colored shoulders. He bites his lip.

Agni damn it all, those had gotten nicer too!

She's walking closer now and there's a slight sway in her hips.

Zuko gulps.

Then she's right in front of him, and he can't look away from her eyes—

Then she's hugging him, and her head fits perfectly under his chin.

She pulls back a little bit can smiles up at him. "Hey, Zuko!"

He gives her a half smile in return. "Hi."

She's giggling, then pushing against his shoulder good naturedly and Zuko is practically delirious.

"I'm so excited for Lu Ten's wedding!" she exclaims before pulling out of the embrace and turning to greet Azula.

Zuko tries to take deep breaths in order to slow his heart rate. He wants her right back in his arms, he realizes. It feels right.

And then he hears the word _Jet _and understands he's fucked.

* * *

><p>It's a week before the ceremony and he and Katara are sliding right back into the "friendship" they had had last summer.<p>

Except now the roles have been reversed.

Although he's pretty sure Katara is a better girlfriend than he was a boyfriend. As in, he's pretty sure Katara won't almost kiss him now that she's dating someone else.

Zuko sighs from where he's sitting in the garden, hands stroking Sang's fur. He really had been a _terrible _boyfriend to Mai. Not to mention he had never even talked to Katara about what happened that day in the library. To this day he didn't understand how she wasn't furious with him for it.

Unless she had _wanted _to kiss him, of course.

But Zuko doesn't let that get his hopes up because now Katara has a boyfriend.

Jet and his Freedom Fighters were making a name for themselves, and not in a good way. They preached about _freedom of the people _and _letting the people choose their leaders._

There had been talks of civil unrest in the Earth Kingdom, and a few of Uncle's advisors had mentioned that if things get really bad that the Earth Kingdom could break out in civil war.

Zuko definitely doesn't want to live through a war, even if it wouldn't directly involve his country.

And to think that the kid responsible for all of this turmoil was Katara's _boyfriend._

Eventually Zuko was going to have to lecture her about him, but not today. Today he was going to sit in the garden and pet his wolf.

He broods for a bit, wondering if this horrible ache in his gut will ever go away when Katara suddenly sits down in front of him.

"Hey, you," she says, smiling.

"Katara," he greets, inclining his head.

"What're you doing out here?" she asks.

He shrugs, trying not to notice the way the sunlight is hitting her skin. "Just thinking." He ruffles Sang's ears and the wolf sighs in contentment.

Katara pulls a tin box out from behind her back and then pulls the lid off. "Look, I made these!"

Zuko leans forward and peeks inside the box. He sees a bunch of brown…lumps.

"Um… what are they?" he asks slowly, trying not to let the growing dread show in his voice.

"They're cinnamon clusters! Well, they're more like cookies, but anyway, it took me _forever _to figure out how to make them, and Sokka says they're terrible, but… I wanted your opinion."

Now Zuko is horrified. If _Sokka _thinks they're bad then there's no telling what the hell is in that tin box.

He grabs a "cluster" and tosses it into his mouth anyway.

And nearly chokes.

There's way too much cinnamon and the texture is doughy, as if Katara didn't cook them all the way through. Zuko chews quickly and swallows, trying to get it over with as fast as possible.

He immediately opens his mouth to agree with Sokka when he sees her hopeful expression.

Damn it.

Her eyes are wide and hopeful. "Do you like them?" When he doesn't answer right away her shoulders slump. "I'll just throw them out." She reaches out and tries to pull the box out of his hands.

He quickly leans back. "Uh, no. They're just so…delicious…that I was…rendered speechless by their deliciousness."

He is lying through his teeth and he _knows _that he sounds like a complete dork.

Her pretty blue eyes widen and she openly beams. "Really?"

"Uh huh."

She claps her hands together in excitement. "Oh, good! I was worried there for a second."

Zuko shakes his head. "Nope. They're super yummy."

Agni will smite him for this.

Grinning, she looks back and forth between him and the brown lumps expectantly.

Zuko slowly puts another one in his mouth. And chews. And swallows. Then repeats the process.

Fully satisfied that he's enjoying her snack Katara starts picking at blades of grass and telling him all about what's going on in the South Pole. He listens to her words, joining in occasionally.

It's a good way to distract him from vomiting.

She starts gesturing with her hands as she talks about meeting the Princess of the Northern Water Tribe. Zuko subtly offers a brown lump to Sang. The wolf sniffs it and then turns his head away.

Zuko could smack the canine for betraying him.

The conversation keeps flowing, and it feels so natural and so _not _like last summer that Zuko decides he'll eat ten more boxes of brown lumps if it means he'll get to talk to Katara and keep her for himself for the rest of the afternoon. Boyfriend be damned.

And then the last brown lump is gone and Zuko is setting the tin box to the side. He leans forward and puts his elbows on his knees, watching and listening to Katara with rapt attention.

"—was just like, 'I'm from the Southern Water Tribe,' like an _idiot_ and you should have seen the look on Princess Yue's face. She was trying so hard not to laugh. We all were, actually. And poor Sokka. He is just not smooth around girls."

Zuko laughs in agreement before realizing that his and Katara's faces and knees have inched closer and closer together.

Katara trails off and her eyes widen. Her lips are parted just so and Zuko so desperately wants to lean forward and close the gap between them when she yanks herself backwards.

"Uh…" It looks like she's forcing herself not to look at him. "Wow! You ate all of my cinnamon clusters!" She snatches the tin from the ground. "I should go put this back in the kitchen."

She quickly stands up and nervously looks down at him.

Zuko isn't really surprised that she'd hurry away from the situation. He knew she'd be a better girlfriend than he was a boyfriend, after all.

He _is _surprised, however, when she quickly leans down and kisses his forehead. She pulls back, smiling slightly.

"Bye, Zuko! See you at dinner!"

She's already out of the garden when he remembers to wave, utterly flabbergasted.

Ten minutes later he's racing into his bathroom to be sick.

He thinks it's worth it, though.

* * *

><p>They're eating dessert the next evening when she receives the letter.<p>

A moment after unraveling it she's bouncing up and down in her seat and squealing adorably. "He's coming!"

"Hu if?" Sokka's cheeks are full of custard.

Katara's excited smile slips and she narrows her eyes slightly at her brother. "Swallow your food."

Sokka gulps. "Who is?"

She raises an eyebrow but then giggles. "Jet, of course."

Sokka rolls his eyes. "Oh, ew."

"What's _that _supposed to mean?" Katara crosses her arms over her chest and huffs, custard and scroll forgotten.

"Your boyfriend sucks, everybody knows it."

"You take that back!"

"No… I don't think I will."

Zuko thinks that steam might come out of Katara's ears. "You are the most overprotective, judgmental—"

Sokka's mouth falls open, clearly offended, and he immediately starts firing off his own insults in self defense.

Zuko is grateful that Uncle, Chief Hakoda and his mother retired for the evening to play Pai Sho or do whatever it is that adults do, because this is just embarrassing.

Katara and Sokka continue to sling names at each other. Azula watches the entire exchange wordlessly.

Zuko, however, stands up and leaves the dining room, ignoring the confused calls of his friends and sister.

He locks himself in his room and spends the rest of the evening wallowing in self pity.

* * *

><p>Zuko decides he never wants to get married.<p>

This is utter _chaos._

Women and servants are running around frantically as they attempt to finish up the decorations. There have been rumors that the bride has already had two breakdowns this afternoon, and supposedly half the bride's family hasn't shown up.

Zuko, Lu Ten, and Sokka are standing outside of the formal room where the ceremony is to take place. They've been dressed and ready for two hours and have been quietly watching the growing bedlam unfolding around them.

Sokka bumps Lu Ten's shoulder. "You sure you want to go through with this? This whole day so far has been a little…much."

"The bride is an actress," Zuko reminds him.

Sokka shakes his head. "Still."

But Lu Ten has a dreamy, if not somewhat nervous look on his face. There will be no getting through to him.

Then Zuko hears _her_ voice drifting down the hallway towards them. He turns his head and quietly watches her turn the corner with wide eyes.

He didn't remember the particulars of the dress. Zuko didn't care much for colors or style; he's always just worn whatever the servants put in his closet. But the way this dress fits Katara… he didn't think he'd ever be able to erase that image from his mind. The dress hugged her curves deliciously and left her long neck and shoulders bare. She didn't wear any jewelry at all save for a couple of bangles around her wrist. She had put some sort of makeup on; her lips were cherry colored and something she'd brushed over her eyes made them pop more so then usual.

Zuko gulps. Oh, he is in _so _much trouble.

She breaks out into a jog and a smile when she spots them, waving enthusiastically.

Then she stumbles a little on her heeled shoes. She recovers quickly, giggling, before making her way to stand in front of them.

Her eyes sweep over him and Zuko can swear that her cheeks turn a little redder.

"You ready for this?" she asks Lu Ten. Zuko's cousin nods with obvious enthusiasm. Katara smiles happily before starting to tilt to the side dangerously, still not used to her new shoes.

Zuko automatically reaches out and puts a hand on the small of her back in order to steady her. She turns her head and peeks up at him. It's almost shy. "Thank you," she says quietly.

"Mhmm." Zuko doesn't trust himself to speak.

Sokka is watching them both and shaking his head.

The minutes tick by and eventually Azula appears. Sokka instantly sweeps her into a conversation, and it seems to Zuko that he's almost being… _flirtatious._

No…that can't be possible.

He notices that Katara is starting to fidget.

"What's wrong?" he asks softly. He hates seeing her frown. She should never frown.

"It's just… he's not here yet," she says anxiously, peeking around the corner hopefully.

Zuko bites the inside of his cheek in an effort not to say anything.

Oh.

"I'm sure he'll make it," he offers tonelessly.

She whips her head around and looks back up at him. "You think so?"

He shrugs one shoulder. "Sure."

"Thanks." If she's noticed his lack of enthusiasm she doesn't say anything. Instead she leans her head against his shoulder and sighs.

Oh fuck everything this is so unfair.

* * *

><p>The ceremony comes and goes. His cousin is now a married man.<p>

No sign of Jet.

Zuko is inwardly dancing.

He makes it his mission to "cheer her up". In reality he's just trying to stay as close to her as possible.

There's an astronomical amount of people at the reception. Twice as many people then the ceremony had, Zuko would gander.

And so far Katara only cares about talking to _him._

Zuko is admittedly feeling smug.

He tries not to stare at her too much, because if he does his mind starts to drift to things that he and Katara could be doing in a dark, quiet place. It's a little inappropriate, especially since right now Katara is talking to him about puppies.

He'll just have to save those thoughts for later.

Then some random guy is creeping up behind her, and just when Zuko is about to step in between them and stare the other guy down for getting too close to his girl, the random guy is tapping Katara on the shoulder.

She turns around, surprised. Then she squeals in delight and throws her arms around his neck. "Jet! You made it!"

Zuko glances down at his small plate of _hors_ d'oeuvres. He has the overwhelming desire to shove them in this guys face. And maybe break his nose.

And just like that the other guy has whisked Katara to the side room.

"That's him." Sokka appears at his side and is looking at his sister and her boyfriend disapprovingly.

"I noticed," Zuko says darkly.

"He's a scumbag."

"Asshole."

"Douchebag."

"Completely unworthy of your sister."

"I hate that guy," they both say in unison.

Sokka turns to him and grabs hold of his shoulder. "I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but I'm really glad we share so many feelings."

* * *

><p>Zuko has <em>not <em>been stalking them all night.

Okay, maybe a little.

Up until fifteen minutes ago Sokka was his wingman too.

Finally Jet leans down and kisses Katara on the cheek before moving away.

Zuko glares.

He's about to go over and steal Katara away when Sokka reappears.

"Your sister is acting weird."

Temporarily distracted Zuko turns and raises an eyebrow at Sokka. "Oh?"

"Some girl named Ty Lee said I was cute, so Azula had her escorted out."

Zuko blinked. "That is kind of strange."

Sokka nods in agreement. "Yep. Oh, where'd Jet go?"

"Who cares."

"Right on. I'm gonna go talk to my sister now that he's gone."

"But I was going to—"

Sokka is already moving away from him and is parting the crowd in order to reach Katara.

Zuko sighs, turning and making his way over to the long table where the beverages are.

He's debating over what drink to get when Jet walks up.

Zuko watches stupid Jet with his stupid haircut (which is the same as Zuko's _who even cares_) and his stupid brown eyes with his stupid pretty boy face pouring two cups of stupid pineapple juice for his girlfriend that _shouldn't _be his girlfriend—

"Katara would probably like the strawberry mango punch better." He blurts it out before he even realizes it.

Jet looks up, surprised, before his eyes widen. "Prince Zuko," he says, bowing his head in respect.

Zuko doesn't bother to incline his head in return. "Jet of _Jet and the Freedom Fighters_."

The other boy smiles. "So you've heard of me?"

"I have. You're well known around here."

"Oh. Well, thank you for recognizing me."

"It wasn't a compliment."

Jet stiffens before straightening up. "Katara said you can be a bit straightforward."

Jet has name dropped her. It's a challenge.

Zuko quirks an eyebrow. "Oh? What else does she say about me?"

The corner of Jet's mouth twitches. "Lots of things. Like, how you're stubborn in a good way, determined, _soft hearted_." He pitches his voice higher at the end in mockery. Whether Jet's mocking him or Katara Zuko isn't sure. "Very nice things."

Zuko growls. It's a low, soft sound emitting from his chest.

Jet breaks out into a full blown smile. "Katara puts you on a pedestal, though, so I can only assume that her high opinion of you is somewhat distorted. I adore her, but she's a bit naïve."

"You have no idea what you're talking about. You don't know her that well," Zuko snaps. He doesn't care if he's rising to the bait.

"Oh, I think I know her _really _well, actually. Better than you, I'd say."

Zuko snorts in disbelief. "I sincerely doubt it."

Jet is smirking, smugness radiating off of him. "Oh? So you know that if you kiss her right _here_—" he points to a spot on his throat "—that she makes this lovely little moaning sound—"

Suddenly there's sparks on Zuko's fingertips and Jet is taking a few steps back in self preservation.

Zuko can't get the images of Jet's hands covering Katara's body out of his mind. It makes him sick.

"I must say it is refreshing to see that even a prince can't get everything he wants." Then Jet quickly walks away and Zuko would like nothing more than to light his stupid head on fire.

He whirls around and quickly forces the crowd to part as he searches for Katara, intent on finding her before Jet does.

He spots her quickly. She's talking to some blind Earth Kingdom noblemen's daughter, famous for her metalbending. What was her name? Moth? Toph? Cough? Whatever.

"You need to breakup with your boyfriend," he says as soon as he reaches them.

"And that is my cue to leave," the earthbender says. "It was nice meeting you. We'll talk soon." Katara waves goodbye, clearly shocked at Zuko's outburst, before turning and glaring at him.

"What are you _talking_—"

He grabs her by her elbow and quickly leads her to the far side of the room and backs her against the wall.

"You need to break up with Jet, Katara. He's no good for you, you hear me? He's no _good _for—"

"Zuko, calm down. Take a deep breath." She reaches out and cups his good cheek in her hand. "What happened? Why are you shaking?"

He can't help but calm slightly under her touch. "Katara…" he shakes his head. "He's not a good guy—"

"Zuko," she interrupts, voice soothing, "you don't know that. I don't know what it is with you and Sokka tonight but—"

"Listen to me!" he reaches up and pulls her hand down and away from his face, but keeps her wrist in his grasp. "You've obviously suffering a long term lapse in judgment to even _think _that this Jet guy is okay—"

She recoils away from him as if he's slapped her. "_Excuse _me?"

Suddenly she's furious. She wrenches her wrist out of his grip. "_You're _the one who's running around and demanding that people break up with their boyfriends! _You're _the one who's making judgments about someone they've known for _five minutes! You're _the one who won't mind his own business! _You're _the one who's suffering a lapse in judgment! _Not me!_"

Then she's stomping away, head high and hands clenched into fists.

* * *

><p>Sokka has gone missing.<p>

Instead of trying to find him Zuko leaves the still crowded reception and makes his way into one of the secluded hallways wrapping around the area.

That's when he sees them.

He's got her pushed against the wall, mouth devouring hers, with one hand fisted in her hair and the other gripping her hip. He watches Katara kiss Jet back with unbridled passion and Zuko can't stand to watch anymore, or even think at all, really. He turns around, fully intent on heading back to his office and getting extremely drunk.

Then he hears it.

"Jet, wait—slow down, please—"

Zuko whips back around to see Jet's hand creeping up Katara's inner thigh. She's pushing against his chest, obviously uncomfortable.

"Jet, I'm not ready…please—"

Jet's not pulling back like he should be. His hand continues to move upward.

Zuko snaps. Jet can talk shit all he wants to, but he won't touch Katara like that and get away with it. Zuko starts to quickly move forward, seeing red, adrenaline soaring through his veins.

He doesn't really notice Jet pulling back. He doesn't really notice Jet mumbling a half hearted apology. He doesn't really notice Katara slapping him. He doesn't notice that Jet looks sorry.

He does, however, notice the expression of other bafflement of Jet's face when Zuko tackles him to the ground.

They've barely hit the floor when Zuko is punching him in the face.

Jet reacts viciously, keeping up with Zuko blow for blow, and for a moment Zuko thinks he may have jumped the gun on this one. But then he remembers Jet _touching _Katara and all the rage and anger and hurt comes spewing out as his fists pound any part of Jet he can reach.

Then both he and Jet find themselves frozen to the wall.

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU TWO? HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MINDS? I AM ASHAMED TO SAY I KNOW EITHER OF YOU."

Katara lets out a scream of fury before sprinting down the hall and out of sight.

Zuko watches her go with growing horror. He rises the temperature in his body until the ice around him cracks and splinters and then finally falls away. He slides back down onto the ground and immediately sets after her, not caring that his clothes are wet.

"Um… could you let me down?"

Zuko doesn't even bother to glance over his shoulder. Jet could freeze to death for all he cared.

He finds her in the next hallway over, leaning against the wall and crying.

"Katara…"

"_Go away!_"

"Listen, I'm really sorry—"

"_I said go away!_"

He moves until he's standing in front of her. "I know that I probably shouldn't have beaten him up but, he was—"

"I had everything under control!" She straightens up and glares at him fiercely, and he realizes that she's never been this livid with him before. "Unbeknownst to you and my brother I can actually hold my own when it comes to a fight. _I didn't need your help!_"

"I just snapped, okay! I couldn't stand to see him touch you." His voice quiets and for a moment he thinks she might understand what he's implying.

She does, but not in the way he wants her to.

Instead tears start to stream down her face and when Zuko reaches out to wipe them away she slaps his hand.

"You know what I couldn't stand, Zuko?"

He can hear the hurt in her voice and his stomach plummets.

"I couldn't stand the entirety of last summer! I had to watch you and Mai be together." She swallows. "And you know what? There were times where all I wanted to do was pummel Mai because I hated her so much. But you know why I didn't? I didn't because I _respected _you and I wanted you to be _happy_." Her shoulders start to shake because of her sobs and Zuko can do nothing but stand there and wish that this whole night hadn't gone so wrong.

She sniffs and turns her eyes, now rimmed with red, on him. Her face crumples. "Why'd you have to go and spoil _everything_?" Then she turns and runs off again.

This time Zuko doesn't follow her.

* * *

><p>He's wandering around the gardens, completely miserable, when he hears it. Singing.<p>

Thirty seconds later he finds Uncle Iroh and Avatar Aang singing folk songs and eating custard. Uncle is also drunk.

"Prince Zuko!" Iroh exclaims. "Come join us!" Then his Uncle is offering him a goblet of something that burns going down his throat.

Zuko sits down without a second thought.

"How did you evening go?" Avatar Aang asks kindly.

"Horrible," Zuko groans. "Just _horrible_."

Avatar Aang smiles knowingly. "Young ladies can certainly make life more complicated."

"You're telling me," Zuko grumbles, taking a large gulp of whatever his Uncle has given him.

Fifteen minutes later he's joining in (incredibly off key) on the Fire Nation folk songs and hiccupping.

* * *

><p>"Zuko… <em>Zuko<em>."

"Go away," the Fire Prince moans, swatting at whatever is trying to wake him up.

"Zuko, you need to wake up."

"No I don't."

"Well, Katara's leaving."

At this Zuko sits bolts upright in his bed. "_What?"_

Sokka is frowning down at him. "She's decided to spend the rest of her summer in the Northern Water Tribe." He pauses, shaking his head. "What the hell did you do last night that's got her in such a tizzy?"

Zuko sighs. "I beat up Jet."

Sokka breaks out into a massive grin. "Dude. Right on. But yeah, my sister is leaving."

Zuko manages to throw clothes on and sprint to the docks in record time. He spots Katara climbing up the ramp and boarding the ship she's not supposed to get on for another couple of months.

Zuko knows that this is all his fault and that'll he'll have to do something to make it up to her. But for now he'll start with the basics.

"KATARA!" he shouts. "KATARA!"

She stops half way up the ramp and glares at him over her shoulder.

Zuko takes in a huge breath and screams, "I'M SORRY."

The majority of the citizens that had been moseying around the port stop to gape at him.

"I'M SORRY!" he screams again.

He knows he's not forgiven, but Katara's tiny little smile gives him hope for the future. She continues walking back up the ramp and vanishes from view.

Sokka practically slams into him, wheezing from trying to keep up.

"I need ink brush and parchment," Zuko says, already starting to think ahead.

Sokka is clutching at a stitch in his side. "Why?"

Zuko smiles. "So I can write her a long and heartfelt apology letter and have it waiting for her when she reaches the North Pole."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**Man, is this chapter filled with MELODRAMA. Teenagers are funny that way. **

**This chapter was a hoot and a half to write, and I hope everyone enjoyed reading it!**

**Awkward lurkers! Thank you guys so much for coming out of Lurkerville and reviewing! I loved seeing what you had to say! I hope you guys will continue to review! :D**

**You guys let me know what you think! **


	16. Sixteen and Eighteen

**A/N:**

**Look ma, a shiny new summary!**

* * *

><p>Katara knows something is up because she keeps stealing Zuko's letters to Sokka and then keeping them under her pillow.<p>

At first she sums it up to curiosity. It was natural to wonder what going on back in the Fire Nation.

But then she realizes that no, it's not about curiosity.

She misses Zuko. Even though he's a bonehead.

* * *

><p>Katara thinks she likes the Fire Nation better than the Earth Kingdom. Not that the Earth Kingdom isn't nice, because it is. There's just something missing.<p>

Right now she's visiting Jet (Sokka is chaperoning, of course). In a couple of weeks she'll have to make the decision to either go to the Fire Nation for the summer or go back home to the South Pole.

As of right now Katara has no idea what she's going to do. Sokka has announced that he'll be in the Fire Nation. Well, good for him.

She stares at all of Zuko's letters that he's sent _her_ that are sitting on her bedside table.

So far she's refused to open them. She thinks she might be afraid to.

They sit in silence.

Katara remembers when they first started dating. They had never been quiet with each other. Someone has always been saying something.

It's different now.

Jet is reading something and growing more irritated by the second. Must be something political, Katara guesses. When it comes to politics he's always up in arms about something or another.

She, however, is just sitting there.

"Shouldn't you be packing?" Jet finally drawls, head still bent over the scroll that he's reading.

She jumps a little bit, before sighing. "I don't know. Why?"

"Aren't you supposed to be going back to the Fire Nation in a couple of days? Your brother won't shut the hell up about it." He tosses the scroll to the side and leans back in his chair. He crosses his arms over his chest and levels his gaze at her.

"I said that I didn't know," she answers, growing irritated herself.

"What's in the Fire Nation for you anyway?" He scoots his chair back and then props his feet up on his desk.

Katara frowns. She's thought over this too. "Well, Azula is one of my closest friends and it'd be nice to see her."

Jet blinks, clearly not convinced. "I'm sure that's not the only reason."

He's egging her on, she knows this. He's been doing this for the past few weeks now, ever since she mentioned that she might be returning to the Fire Nation for the summer. It's like he's trying to get her to admit something.

She narrows her eyes at him. "Doesn't matter if it isn't. It's a _good _reason."

There's a beat.

"Apparently Sokka's letters from the _illustrious_ Prince Zuko keep disappearing." He inspects his fingernails, feigning nonchalance.

Katara freezes.

He looks backs up at her. "Funny, I didn't know you were a magician, Katara, since you're the one making them vanish." Then he smirks.

Katara would like nothing more than to throw something at him. Preferably something large and bulky. But then she reminds herself that Jet always covers up his insecurities and negative emotions with smirks and arrogance. It is just what he does.

"Jet—"

"If you want to talk to him so badly, why don't you just write him back? It's not like he doesn't want to talk to _you_. He writes _you _all the damn time."

She glances down at her lap before shrugging one shoulder. "I'm still angry with him."

"For giving me a black eye?" She can hear the aggravation in his voice. "I did bust his lip, you know. We were even."

"For being an idiot and for being insensitive. And why does it matter to you? It's not like it has anything to do with _us_."

Jet's mouth falls open incredulously. Then he rolls his eyes and stands up. "You hide his letters under your _pillow_, Katara. And they're not even _your _letters! And you have your _own_, too!"

"It's just—I—"

He waves her off, but she still catches the somewhat defeated look on his face. "Save it for someone who cares." Then he walks out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

* * *

><p>Katara feels terrible.<p>

She decides that Jet deserves better, especially since he still comes with her to the dock and tells her goodbye before she boards a ship for the Fire Nation.

* * *

><p>He's not there at the dock. He <em>knew <em>she was coming and yet he's not there.

Katara is fuming already.

He should on his feet at the bottom of the ramp, groveling.

"What's with you?" Sokka asks, giving her a funny look over his shoulder as he starts to walk down the ramp.

"Nothing," she spits, moving to follow him.

She sulks during the entire journey to the palace.

Really, wasn't he supposed to be seeking her forgiveness? He should have _been _there. Katara isn't sure what bothers her more—the fact that he didn't care enough to meet her at the dock or the fact that she's even bothered in the first place.

She starts to feel the fluttering in her stomach when they move onto palace grounds. She wonders how different he'll look compared to last summer, if his hair is long again (she kind of hopes it isn't) or whether or not he's gotten any taller (he already looms over her).

Then she berates herself for even feeling that way.

When she and Sokka walk inside Azula is waiting for them with a small smile.

"Glad both of you managed to make it," she says, crossing her arms over her chest. She gives them both quick hugs (Azula has never been a touchy feely kind of person), and then she smirks at something stupid that Sokka says.

Katara peers around Azula, hoping that maybe she'll see him standing a little ways behind his sister, or leaning against the wall.

He isn't.

He's nowhere in sight.

Did Zuko _fall asleep?_

Katara is livid now. She takes in a sharp breath and pouts.

Azula gestures for Sokka to come with her (something to do with arrows), but when Katara makes to follow them the princess holds up her hand, indicating Katara to stop.

"You're wanted in the dining room," she states.

Katara blinks. "Oh."

Azula turns her face away, hiding her smile, before shoving Sokka in front of her.

Katara puts her bags down on the floor, knowing that a servant will take care of them, and makes her way to the dining room.

Beautiful images flash through her mind, images of elegant food, a lovely table set up, and Zuko practically hand feeding her as he begs for her everlasting forgiveness.

She smiles. This would be fun.

But when she walks into the dining room, _he isn't there_.

Katara's hands clench into fists and she lets out a shrill squeal of irritation.

He's asking for it.

The table is bare and the chairs are skewed about. She sits down in one and crosses her legs, glaring at the tapestry hanging on the opposite wall.

She sits there for a full ten minutes.

_Ten minutes._

She's about to get up and head off to her bedroom when she hears it: a long stream of cursing. And then a crash.

She glances to her right where there's a door leading to the kitchens and for the first time wonders if Zuko might be on the other side, in the kitchens.

She immediately stands up and struts over to the door and shoves it open with more force than necessary.

Zuko is bent over a stove, attempting and failing to stop liquid from erupting out of a pan and onto the floor. Swearing, he grabs handfuls of towels and throws them on top of the pan.

Then the towels light on fire.

"_Fuck!_"

He whirls around, eyes wide, probably searching for water when he notices her for the first time. He freezes and instantly straightens.

"Katara! You're…here!"

She raises an eyebrow and tilts her head to the side. "Uh huh."

Zuko's eyes widen even more and his mouth keeps opening and closing, as if he's searching for the right words to say. "I may have lost track of time," he finally says.

The flames behind Zuko's head are growing and the prince seems too dumbfounded to do anything, so Katara bends water from a sink and splashes it over the fire. There's a loud rush of steam and then Zuko is coughing and waving a hand in front of his face.

"What on earth are you doing in here?" Katara asks, walking forward and surveying the cluttered countertops and dirty utensils, evidence of Zuko's disastrous attempts at cooking.

Zuko looks properly embarrassed. "I was making you dinner," he mumbles.

Katara shakes her head before peering at a blackened lump sitting on a plate on top one of the counters. "What's _that?_"

And then Zuko is right at her shoulder. "It's fish." She can hear the annoyance in his voice.

She picks up a nearby chopstick and pokes it. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," he huffs. Then he pauses. "Or at least, it was when I started."

Katara quickly purses her lips so that she won't laugh and continues to walk around the kitchen. She glances into the pan to find charred clumps.

"That's rice. Or…it was rice."

She sees a couple of what looks like vegetables scattered about on the floor.

"Chopping them turned out to be harder than I expected."

Then she finds something that might actually be edible. Or, at least, it looks that way. "What's that?" she asks curiously, pointing to it.

Zuko is by her side again. "Oh, um, that's this chocolate custard thing that I made. I was kind of experimenting. You don't have to—"

Katara swipes her finger along the top of the custard and pops it into her mouth before Zuko can finish his sentence.

Her eyes widen in shock. It's actually _tasty._

"If you spit it out I won't be offended." He rubs the back of his neck and gives her a sheepish look.

She picks up the bowl of custard and pushes it in his direction. "Try it."

For a moment he looks legitimately fearful before he grabs a spoon and tastes it.

He swallows and blinks. "Oh. Well that's a surprise."

Katara snorts before clearing a spot on the countertop and sitting up on top of it. She grabs at the custard that's still in Zuko's hands.

"Give me my custard."

He gives her a half smile before taking a step back. "_Your _custard?"

"Yep," she swipes at his head before grabbing at the custard again, nearly toppling off the counter in the process.

"Careful," Zuko says, quickly placing a hand on her knee to balance her. She stiffens and to her mortification she can feel her cheeks begin to heat up.

He places the custard on the counter by her hip and takes a step back, glancing up at her nervously.

She straightens her shoulders and picks up the custard before digging in. She thinks if she stuffs her mouth full of food then she'll have an excuse not to speak.

After a long stretch of neither of them talking she can no longer stand the silence. Finally she stops eating for a moment. "Is this why you weren't at the dock today?" She gestures to the entire kitchen with her spoon, indicating Zuko's misshapen cooking adventures.

He grimaces. "The plan was to have dinner cooked in time to meet you at the dock and then escort you back to the palace. The plan did not work."

Katara gives him a small smile. "I can see that." She eats another spoonful of custard before shrugging her shoulders. "Dessert for dinner is nice, though."

He perks up at this hopefully. "Well, that's good."

She nods. It becomes quiet again.

Finishing her dessert she sets the bowl to the side before hopping off the counter. She clears her throat and twiddles her thumbs. "I'm going to head to my room now."

Zuko looks disappointed, but he quickly nods. "O-Okay."

"Thanks for the attempt at dinner."

She's almost out of the kitchen when she hears him call her name.

She looks back over her shoulder, trying to ignore the tightening in her stomach. "Yes?"

He takes a breath and meets her eyes. "I'm really, _really _happy that you're here."

She smiles at him before letting the door close behind her.

* * *

><p>Zuko is trying very hard to get back in her good graces, but Katara just can't quite let him off the hook.<p>

Mostly because it's fun to have him happily attend to her every beck and call.

Today, though, she has decided to be nicer to him.

They're taking a stroll down the hallway with their wolves. It's unbearably hot out today, so they've both opted to stay inside.

They pick up a conversation here and there, and they talk about anything and everything in-between. Katara had not realized how much she had missed _this_; their friendship. This relationship is nice, she thinks, a relationship where they remain friends, where they remain uncomplicated. But when she dwells on this she always starts to feel hollow, so she'd rather think about something else, like how Zuko has only grown his hair to the length where he can wear his crown and not any longer. Or how he's got nice muscles.

Yep. Zuko has nice muscles.

Katara suspects that this is because he trains with his bending and sword fighting rigorously. In fact, on more than one occasion Katara has watched his firebending sessions.

Zuko probably thinks it's because Katara is curious about sword fighting. Zuko would be wrong.

Zuko trains without a shirt on, you see. But Katara believes that Zuko can think whatever he wants.

"Did you hear that?" Zuko asks, looking around with furrowed eyebrows.

"No—" Katara begins, but then she hears it too—a moan.

She and Zuko turn to grin at each other before practically climbing over the other in order to get to the door that the moans seem to be coming from. Katara gets there first (although she can feel Zuko's chest pressed into her back) and shoves open the door.

Sokka and Azula are making out.

Zuko lets out a gagging noise, causing the couple to spring apart.

Sokka immediately flings up his hands and bites his swollen lip. Then he points an accusing finger at Azula. "She kissed _me_."

Azula promptly hits him in the shoulder. "You enjoyed it!" she hisses.

Sokka stands there for a moment before he finally sticks out his chin. "Yes. Yes I did."

Zuko reaches around Katara and slowly closes the door.

* * *

><p>"I'm not really surprised."<p>

The sun is setting and they're sitting on the balcony in Zuko's room, enjoying sticky rice balls and soup.

Chewing, Zuko gives her an inquisitive look before swallowing. "Really?"

Katara nods, manipulating her soup so that it swirls around in her bowl. "Yeah. I mean, Sokka sort of takes whatever he can get, and Azula happens to be really pretty. Not that he's lowering his standards for her or anything!" she says quickly.

Zuko merely smiles at her. "Azula's pretty possessive of him; she's been that way for years." He pauses. "Actually it really isn't all that surprising."

She laughs and he grins, both finishing their meal in companionable silence. Finally Zuko sets his empty dishes to the side. Their knees are almost touching. Katara feels like she's been here before.

Zuko lets out a small sigh and scoots back an inch or two, causing Katara to frown.

"We should go to bed soon," he says. Then he backtracks. "Or, I mean, go to our separate rooms…"

It must be the way the moonlight is hitting the right side of Zuko's face, Katara thinks. Because suddenly she doesn't want to get up and leave. She wants to stay right here. With him.

She bites her lip and leans in a little bit. She can hear Zuko's sharp intake of breath. "Let's stay up," she insists.

Zuko's eye, the one that's being hit by the moonlight, not the one cast in shadow, widens a little bit. "Like, as in all night?"

Katara had only been thinking of a few hours, but Zuko's idea is much more appealing. She nods eagerly. "Yeah! It'll be fun!"

He looks at her as if she's crazy. Then finally he shifts slightly, almost as if he's uncomfortable. "Alright."

She grins and stands up quickly before holding her hand out for him.

* * *

><p>"Okay, now put your hand on it."<p>

Katara obeys. "Now what?"

"Grasp it firmly—yeah, like that."

"Okay. Where do I put my foot?"

"We'll worry about that in a second. Now move your other hand and put it—there! Perfect! Make sure you gave a good grip—"

"I _do_. Now _where_ do I put my foot?" she huffs.

She doesn't have to look up to know that Zuko is rolling his eyes. "Honestly, Katara, you're the one who's making this hard."

Zuko is trying to teach Katara how to climb the tree in the center of the garden. So far Katara has not even made it onto the first branch. On the contrary, Zuko is already several branches up into the tree, and if it wasn't for the flame he had burning in his left palm she wouldn't be able to see him.

"Or maybe you're just secretly half monkey!" she hisses before wincing in pain. "I think I got a splinter," she whines.

Then Zuko is easily making his way back down through the tree until he's perched on the first branch.

He holds out his hand. "I'll haul you up."

She glares at him, wanting nothing more than to refuse, but then how else will she get up into this stupid tree?

She grabs his hand. It's warm and rough against her own, and for a moment she thinks about how nice it feels.

Then there's a rush of air and then she's sitting on top of the first branch, with the grass below her and Zuko once again a couple of branches above her.

She takes a moment to get used to her newfound height. It's peaceful up here, she decides. She wonders how often Zuko comes out to sit up here.

"How did you get so good at climbing trees anyway?"

She looks up to see Zuko watching her intently. He shrugs. "Sokka and I climbed a lot when we were kids. What'd _you _do?"

She grinned. "I ripped up flower beds with Azula."

He returns her grin, amused.

After a beat Katara pats the spot beside her. "You can come sit next to me…if you want."

Zuko looks as if he would like nothing more to sit next to her, but shakes his head instead. "No. I'm not positive if that branch will hold both of us."

Katara frowns. The branch looks sturdy enough to her.

* * *

><p>They're walking through the gardens in order to get back to the palace when a fireball whizzes past her ear.<p>

She whirls around, shocked. "Hey!"

Zuko's mouth falls open before he slowly turns and looks over his shoulder, exaggerating his movements. "Agni, there must be a firebender around or somethi—"

She sends a splash of water right at his head. He splutters and coughs before glaring at her, hair clinging to his face.

They both move at the same time.

At first it's a bending match, but then it turns into more hand to hand combat, with Katara giggling uncontrollably and Zuko easily evading her rather halfhearted punches and kicks.

Then he's grabbed her wrist and pulled her close, and suddenly Katara is filled with nervous excitement because this is a different kind of game.

She stares up into his face and he stares back. There's an intensity there that she's only caught a few times before, but she surprises herself by not feeling afraid of it. Instead she relishes in it. This is something new and she's quite willing to explore it.

Then Zuko's hold on her wrist relaxes and he quickly takes a couple of steps back. "You know what sounds awesome right now? Tea. Tea sounds awesome." Then he's turning and marching into the palace and Katara wonders if she did something wrong.

* * *

><p>Katara thinks it's too hot to drink tea, even if it's night time. So she freezes part of her drink so that it's cold. When she offers this to Zuko he shakes his head.<p>

Their silence has turned from companionable to awkward and Katara desperately wants things to be fun again.

"Remember when we were kids and we would draw and make things?"

Zuko has barely even sipped his tea. He looks up at her, confused. "Yeah. Why?"

"We should do something like that!"

He raises a disbelieving eyebrow.

* * *

><p>"Why is yours better than mine?"<p>

Katara looks over at Zuko's handiwork. "Maybe it's because I can sew and you can't?"

Zuko grumbles furiously at his puppet.

Katara has no idea how she's managed to coax him into this, but she finds it extremely amusing that she was able to.

She never thought she would see Zuko sew, much less make a doll.

_Puppets, _Zuko had corrected her, _we're making puppets. _Katara has no idea what these things will be used for, but it was more interactive than drawing. Plus dolls (_puppets_) were cute.

Zuko is having a lot of trouble stitching up the side of his. Some of the stuffing starts to come out.

Zuko leans back and huffs. "My innards are spilling."

Rolling her eyes, Katara reaches out and grabs Zuko's puppet before starting to stitch it up herself. Meanwhile, Zuko grabs up more cloth and a pair of scissors.

"What are you doing?" Katara asks with interest.

Zuko looks at her incredulously. "I'm making my puppet a sword." Then he bends over and starts to carefully cut into the fabric with his scissors.

Katara snorts. "I didn't know we were going to accessorize."

Zuko looks up at her and glares. "This is not an _accessory_. This is a weapon." He shakes his head and grumbles something under his breath.

Silence settles between them again, and this time it is neither companionable nor awkward.

"So are you ever going to let me off the hook?" Zuko asks softly. He has stopped working on his puppet's sword and is staring down at his hands.

There's a twinge in her chest and for a moment Katara feels guilty. "Zuko, I'm not angry with you anymore. Not really."

He immediately looks up at her and the hope in his gaze makes her feel even worse. "Really?"

She nods. "What happened with Jet… That was bad. And you were in the wrong," she says firmly. "But that was a while ago and Jet and I aren't together anymore anyway. We can put it behind us."

Zuko nods slowly before looking away from her.

Katara thinks that maybe that's the end of that discussion.

"Why didn't you ever return my letters?"

Katara freezes and dread churns in her stomach. Her heartbeat picks up and suddenly the room they're in is much hotter than it had been a moment ago.

"I was afraid," she admits.

In truth, she thinks that she forgave him when he kept writing to her, despite the fact that she never answered.

"Why?"

The tension in the room picks up as they stare at each other and Katara wonders what would happen if she was honest to both him and herself.

She reaches out and brushes some of his unruly hair away from his eyes. When she pulls her hand away her fingertips trace his scar.

He doesn't flinch or pull away like she had been afraid that he would. Instead his chest starts heaving and after a long moment and looks away.

"Do we have red paint?" he asks out of the blue.

"What?" For a moment she's thunderstruck because that seems like such an odd and random thing to say.

"My puppet needs his scar," he reasons.

* * *

><p>Zuko tells her that the sun is close to rising, so he walks her back to her room.<p>

Nukka is lying by the door and she looks up and eyes them when they approach.

Speaking has suddenly become too much for both of them, and when they finally reach Katara's door she turns around and looks up at him, completely unsure of what's next.

He takes a step towards her, so she takes a step towards him.

She's almost lightheaded with anticipation and she feels as if she might shatter if he doesn't reach out and touch her.

But then he slides a step back. "Erm. Goodnight."

Katara nearly growls in frustration. This clueless dumbass!

She darts forward, grabs his face, and slams her lips against his.

The kiss is more painful then pleasurable, mostly because their teeth have knocked together and she's pretty sure that Zuko has bit her bottom lip by accident.

But that's okay, because a moment later he snakes his arms around her waist and practically lifts Katara off of her feet as he returns the kiss with passionate enthusiasm.

* * *

><p>Things are different after that, and yet they are the same.<p>

They're different because now instead of playing ice discs with the wolves in the garden, Zuko backs her against the garden wall and kisses her until she's dizzy. He's a good kisser too, she decides. He's quite good with his tongue.

They're the same because Katara's secrets still spill out whenever she's around him, just like they always have.

They're different because she feels as if these secrets are now Zuko's too, like they are sharing, like they are one.

They're the same because Katara suspects that things have always been this way, she just never realized it.

* * *

><p>Katara thinks that maybe she's always loved Zuko. She was just too young to understand it.<p>

* * *

><p>"You're dating my brother."<p>

"Any you're dating mine."

"We're weird."

* * *

><p>She leaves in two days. It has always been painful every year, knowing that she had to go, but this time the hurt aches and pulses throughout her body, and she's sure she'll crumple and collapse into herself when she has to depart back to the South Pole.<p>

She can't quite remember how they ending up in his bedroom. They have made it a point to avoid bedrooms all summer. Bedrooms could potentially be a bad.

He has her up against his bedpost, clever hands running along the length of her torso. She squirms and hums deliciously whenever his fingers skim over the sides of her breasts.

"_Zuko_…" she gasps, and he smirks, way too pleased with himself. He pushes forward, trying to get as close to her as possible, all the while placing open mouthed kisses along the soft skin of her neck. He grinds his hips against hers and she moans at the sensation.

But this is always as far as they go.

It's not like they haven't talked about it, because they definitely have. And it's not like Katara is opposed to the idea, because she _definitely _isn't.

Katara would _love _to see Zuko naked, frankly. She'd love to touch him and explore his body, to see what she can make him do. She fantasizes about it, actually, like most teenage girls. Thing is, Katara isn't sure if she's ready for Zuko to see _her _naked, and that, she thinks, is what makes all the difference.

But Zuko prefers for them to always be on equal ground, so he doesn't want to reap the benefits of Katara's curiosity when he can't turn it back to her tenfold. Katara pouts, but thinks that's fair enough.

This making out and heavy petting is quite fun, anyway.

Finally Zuko starts to pull away, trailing his lips up from her neck, along her cheek, and finally to her temple.

Katara doesn't know if she can survive months without this, without _him_.

Tears fill her eyes and she starts to sniff. Zuko gives her a look of alarm before he moves closer and gently cups her face. "Katara?"

"I don't think I can _stand _being away from you for months," she says, blinking furiously in an attempt to fight off her tears. "I don't want to."

He bites his lip and searches her face before he breaks out into a wide grin. "Well, you won't have to."

She can feel her eyes widen. "_What?_"

He suddenly looks very excited. "I'm coming to the South Pole in four months, maybe three. I figured it was high time—"

She throws her arms around his next and they resume their making out and heavy petting.

* * *

><p>The South Pole is colder then she remembers. Katara suspects that she has gotten used to the warmer climates of the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation. She wraps her parka around her tighter. She'll have to toughen up. Winter is coming.<p>

She grins when she sees Hakoda. Her father hasn't come with them to the Fire Nation for the past couple of years. He insists that she and Sokka are old enough to go by themselves now.

Katara is slightly disheartened when Hakoda doesn't return her welcoming grin.

"Katara," he says gravely. "I need to talk to you. It's important."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**I giggled way more than necessary at the kind-of-but-not-really reference to Game of Thrones at the end there. I'm such a dork.**

**WHAT DOES HAKODA WANT TO TALK TO KATARA ABOUT, HMM? Guess we'll have to find out next time ;)**

**In other news, yes, Katara and Zuko finally stopped being stupid. Took them long enough, am I right?**

**Hope everyone liked this chapter! Please please please review and let me know what you thought (and that goes for you too, Awkward Lurkers!)**

**:D**


	17. Sixteen and Eighteen, three months later

Saying that Zuko is excited is an understatement.

He's _ecstatic._

He and Katara had only ever seen each other over the summer, and only for a couple of months at a time, and it was always in the Fire Nation.

He is finally going to visit _her_. He is finally going to see where _she_ lived. This felt important, probably more important than it actually was, but Zuko felt that getting to see the Southern Water Tribe was like getting to see another part of Katara.

He leaves in three days.

* * *

><p>Zuko has a red parka. A <em>red <em>parka.

Zuko likes the color red, truthfully speaking. The color red and the Fire Nation go hand in hand. But Zuko doesn't really want to be the only person wearing red in a sea of blue.

It's not that Zuko doesn't want to stick out like a sore thumb; he's actually quite used to it, with his scar and royal status. It's just that this trip isn't about him. At all. It's about _her. _It's about seeing her, talking to her, finding private places to kiss her, and _being with her._

Zuko would definitely prefer not to stick out.

He leaves in two days.

* * *

><p>Sang should come, he thinks.<p>

The wolf knows something is up. He sits on Zuko's bed and watches him with wide, questioning eyes as Zuko debates over and over again what to bring.

Zuko thinks that Sang would probably enjoy returning to his homeland. There would be snow.

_Snow._

Zuko's eyes widen as he stares at Sang from across his room.

Zuko has never seen snow.

Funny, he had sort of forgotten about the fact that there would be a total climate change, much less _snow._

In truth, he always only thought of her.

He leaves tomorrow.

* * *

><p>Zuko wonders if Agni does things like this on purpose for his own amusement.<p>

He's at the dock. He's about to board his ship. Sang is at his feet, tail wagging, and glancing up at Zuko occasionally with curiosity in his intelligent eyes. Azula, who is there to see him off, has been making inappropriate comments about contraceptive waterbending. He has already told his mother, cousin, and uncle good bye. He's ready.

But then there's another ship and it's familiar. It pulls into the harbor with more speed than necessary, and for a moment Zuko thinks his eyes are deceiving him.

Sang is barking and Azula is actually speechless, because suddenly _she's _there, acting like she had never left at all.

Zuko isn't sure how he feels. A part of him wishes she had let him come to her for once.

She arrives today.

* * *

><p>"You're mad at me."<p>

They're in the gardens, like always.

"I'm not."

He's not lying either. He's not angry with her, just confused. And maybe a little irritated.

She's shredding a blade of grass with her fingers. She can't look at him in the eye. "I have to tell you…." She pauses, stares at him for a long moment before visibly shuddering. "I couldn't stay away any longer." It's a weak statement.

Zuko frowns. "I appreciate that," he says. "But, I was leaving today. I would have been there in a couple of weeks—"

"I know." She peeks up at him and he can catch the guilt in her expression. "You were excited about coming, weren't you?"

He shifts a bit, uncomfortable. "I mean, yeah." He shrugs with one shoulder and looks over at her, not wanting to let on just how excited he had been. "I had a red parka and everything."

She smiles a bit and suddenly the slight tension between them diffuses.

Zuko suddenly realizes the endless possibilities between them. Sokka didn't come with her and Azula is off doing something or another. It's just her and him. There's no interruption. There's really no one else.

He clears his throat. "What do you want to do?"

* * *

><p>She's anxious about something. It takes Zuko about one full day to figure that out. She gives him vague reasons as to why she's here, and when he pushes the subject she gets tight lipped and quiet.<p>

He thinks that he'll get it out of her eventually; he just has to be patient.

* * *

><p>A couple of weeks later Zuko wonders when Katara is planning on leaving. She's given no indication on when she's planning to go, or if she's even planning on leaving at all.<p>

He mentally starts to go over ways he can convince her to stay.

* * *

><p>The marketplace is dusty and despite the fact that it's fall the heat is still oppressive.<p>

People stare at him and Katara as they walk by. Mostly at him. Mostly at his scar, really. A few years ago he would have insisted on wearing a cloak in order to hide it, but now he doesn't really care what their stares imply.

Katara's grip on his hand is tight and she glares back at everyone who is looking at him funny. Zuko finds this much more amusing then he should. It's cute, he thinks, how protective she is.

Then they walk past a stand selling jewelry and trinkets and her grasp on his hand loosens. Intimidating people forgotten, Katara quickly walks over to the stand and gushes over everything that's blue.

Zuko can afford to buy her the entire display and is about to do so, but Katara fusses at him and makes him put away his small bag of coins.

She picks out some kind of thing for her hair (Zuko supposes it's pretty), and presses a couple of coins from her own pocket into the vendors palm.

Zuko spends the next ten minutes lecturing her on why she didn't have to buy things anymore, and how he didn't mine doing it, and that he never _would _mind doing it.

He's not quite sure what he's implying with the last part. He gulps and his heart speeds up.

She bites her bottom lip and doesn't meet his gaze. She spends the rest of the afternoon looking down at the ground.

* * *

><p>He teaches her how to make his chocolate custard thing. Just before they're about to dig in she sticks her finger into hers and swipes custard across his neck and jaw. Before he can get annoyed she leans in and starts licking and sucking it off. He immediately thinks about her licking and sucking <em>other things <em>and he has to quickly remind himself not to jump his girlfriend in the kitchens where anyone could walk in on them.

Even though it would be awesome.

* * *

><p>She's still terrible at climbing trees. It's cute.<p>

* * *

><p>He watches as she worries over Nukka. The wolf is getting up in her years. There's gray around her muzzle and her gate is slower and more strained.<p>

Zuko quietly asks her how long the life expectancy for a wolf is. She opens and closes her mouth a couple of times. He doesn't push her to answer.

* * *

><p>Azula walks in on him and Katara making out. He politely reminds his sister that in a way it's payback.<p>

* * *

><p>He catches her crying over seemingly nothing on more than one occasion. When he asks her what's wrong she shakes her head, looks at him, then says she'll tell him tomorrow. Always tomorrow, and yet she never says anything.<p>

* * *

><p>So hot. Too hot.<p>

He groans and rolls off of her. She lets out an antsy whine.

"What are you doing?"

His breaths are harsh. "I didn't want to…scare you…or anything."

There's a quiet moment and then a snort. "Wow."

He turns his head to glower at her from where he's sprawled out next to her on his bed.

Her face is flushed but she's smiling. "Because an erection is _so scary_," she pants.

Before his pride can feel properly wounded, she's straddling his hips and leaning forward in a flash. Her skirt hikes up, exposing long, shapely tan thighs and legs. She leans forward and her long hair curtains his face and he can see her, only her. She kisses him and runs her tongue along his bottom lips, all the while thrusting her hips.

They move forward.

* * *

><p>Hours later, Zuko contemplates what his favorite part of the evening was.<p>

He thinks it must be the sounds she made, or that the reasons why she made those sounds were because of _him._

He thinks it must have been the way her body curved perfectly below and above him, and how he hadn't realized anyone could look so fantastic without a speck of clothes on.

He thinks it might have been the way her hair stuck to her face and neck after awhile, or the way her grip in his hair tightened with every swipe and twirl of his tongue.

He thinks that maybe it was the way she told him to go quickly because it was going to hurt no matter what, but he went slowly anyway because he wanted her to feel as good as possible.

He thinks that perhaps it's the way it got swelteringly hot between them, until the pressure was too much to bare and he had to stifle his moans into her shoulder.

But no, he realizes that his favorite part of the evening is that a little while after they had finished they had decided to do it again, and the second time had been even better then the first.

* * *

><p>Lu Ten and his wife announce that they're expecting a child.<p>

Zuko feels happy, although he hopes they don't expect him to babysit or anything.

Later on that day he finds her curled up in a corner in the library, sobbing.

She won't open up to him. That's when the feeling of foreboding starts. He sits there with her until the tears stop. If she's sad then he's sad too.

* * *

><p>Zuko thinks that maybe he's always loved Katara. He was just too young to understand it.<p>

* * *

><p>"I've never actually been in here before."<p>

He gives her a look of surprise. "Really?"

She nods, looking around the throne room with interest. "When I was little I thought it was scary. Plus, we were told it was off limits." She turns her head and looks over her shoulder at him. "My voice echoes a little."

She laughs and the sound bounces off the walls. Zuko smiles.

"You wanna sit on the throne?" he offers nonchalantly.

Her eyes widen in shock. "Isn't that, I don't know, taboo or something?"

Technically, yes, it is. Even Zuko isn't allowed to sit on it. He decides not to tell Katara this. "Nah. Not really."

She stands still for a moment before bolting around to a small set of stairs off to the side that led to the throne. Then she eases herself down onto it before putting her hands on the arms of the throne and sitting up straight as a rod.

"Do I look imposing?" she asks, jutting out her chin out in an attempt to look regal.

"As intimidating as Fire Lord Iroh himself," he answers easily.

She snorts. "No offence to your uncle, but he's not all that scary."

It's Zuko's turn to snort. "Tell that to Lu Ten."

Katara smiles before easing herself back into the throne, basking in the atmosphere.

She has been carefree today, more so then she's been during her entire visit. For a moment Zuko thinks that they could be like this forever, carefree and happy. After all, Sokka was going to be Chief and Lu Ten was going to be Fire Lord. He and Katara weren't strictly tied down. They could do and go wherever they wanted with all the privilege that befits people of high ranking families. It's a good future, he thinks.

The moment is broken when Katara frowns, stands up and says, "We should go."

* * *

><p>They don't sleep together that night. Something's off.<p>

Zuko sits on his bed and strokes Sang's fur. He tries not to think about how everything is slipping through his fingers.

* * *

><p>And just like that it's the worst day of his life.<p>

She's at his bedroom door right as the sun rises. Her eyes are red and she looks pale.

"I have to go," she says dully.

He wants to sink down to the floor but manages to keep himself upright. "To the South Pole?"

"The North Pole."

He takes in a sharp intake of breath. "Why?"

"A duty for my tribe," she answers without looking at him.

His jaw clenches. "You're getting married, aren't you?" he growls. "And you never bothered to tell—"

Finally she looks at him. And then she rolls her eyes. "_No_, I'm not getting married."

Zuko blinks. "Oh."

She shakes her head at him. "Arranged marriages haven't been practiced in the South Pole in over a hundred years. That's why my grandmother left the North Pole. To _escape _an arranged marriage."

Zuko realizes that she's told him all of this before over the years. But Zuko had jumped to conclusions anyway. Not that that was unusual for him.

He sighs. "Why are you going to in the North Pole, then?"

Her eyes fill with tears. She moves past him and sits on the edge of his bed. "A couple of months ago some of my fellow tribe members were up in the North Pole, just visiting more or less." She peers up at him. "There's been some tension between our tribes for awhile. We have completely different values on the roles of women, on waterbending, on tribal conduct." She lip trembles. "Anyway, a fight broke out and a couple of people were killed."

Zuko freezes. "Anyone you knew?"

She nods. "My waterbending teacher, Hama."

"I'm so sorry, Katara." Zuko finds himself stepping right up to her, subconsciously blocking her way to the door. "But is it even safe for you to go there?" His voice is strained.

"That's the thing. Tensions are high right now. My dad doesn't think there will be a war or anything, but… There's a chance that neither tribe will affiliate with the other anymore. Neither my father nor Chief Arnook want that." She takes in a breath. "My dad wants me to go to the North Pole and act as an ambassador for the South Pole, as a mediator of sorts. I would help protect my tribe, my _people_,and I might be able to inspire a little change as well."

Zuko's mind whirls. He places his hand on the wooden bedpost in an attempt to clear his thoughts. "Okay, so you'll be there for what? A year? Maybe two? I'll come visit, maybe further outside influence would be good—"

"Zuko, this would be permanent."

He doesn't quite get it at first. "What?"

"I would be staying there. Presumably for the rest of my life. I could travel sometimes, I suppose, but—"

He's starting to get it. "Katara..?"

She's visibly shaking. "I came here to end—" she gestures between them "—_this_."

Everything has slipped through his fingers and disappeared.

She pushes forward, trying to explain. "It's not right for this to continue, Zuko. You don't deserve to have to put up with—"

"That's not your decision to make!" His chest is heaving. He's burning. "What the hell have these past few months been? Did you think you'd come and we'd have one last hoorah before you just took off into the sunset!"

"_No!_" she shouts, on her feet instantly and staring pleadingly up at him. "I didn't want to do it through a letter because I thought you deserved better then that! I wanted to do it face to face!"

"Then why didn't you do it as soon as you got here? You wouldn't have had to leave the dock! Instead of stringing me along—"

"_I wasn't!_ I wasn't trying to! I swear!"

"Then _why didn't you tell me?" _ He's _burning._

"Because I _saw _you, okay?" There are tears streaming down her face but they don't really move him this time. "I saw you and I felt happy. And I didn't want to leave. I think I tried to tell you every day. But I didn't want this to stop. I still don't."

Zuko thinks about how just yesterday he'd thought about their hypothetical future together. Funny, how quickly things can go up in smoke.

"But you're stopping it anyway." His voice is cold.

"Zuko—"

He turns his head away from her. "I think you should go."

"Zuko…" He can hear her panic, but when she grabs his elbow he jerks it away. "I think you should go," he repeats sharply.

So she does.

* * *

><p>As soon as his door closes he grabs a decorative teapot that sits on his desk (courtesy of Iroh) and flings it against the wall.<p>

He watches the multitude of pieces hit and slide about the floor, out of control and never to be whole again. He sympathizes, because that's exactly how he feels.

* * *

><p>He lies in his bed for the next two days.<p>

He thinks he should have got down on his knees and begged her to stay.

* * *

><p>He hasn't showered, and all he's had to eat in the past 48 hours are a couple of dumplings. But none of that matters, because right now Zuko has an idea.<p>

He needs change. He can't mope about the palace for the next year. Azula would kill him.

He starts to scroll his sloppy characters across the parchment.

_Avatar Aang—_

_Would you be interested in taking on an…apprentice of sorts?_

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**Well, I for one am glad that's over. This was a chore to write, an absolute **_**chore**_**. I kind of hate this chapter. Not the writing, but the breaking up of our precious couple. I hate it. I think my subconscious desperately didn't want to break Zuko and Katara up so it rebelled against me. That's why it took me so stinkin' long to get this chapter out. But it had to be done. I'm sure none of you believe me, but it had to be done.**

**Admittedly, I kind of got a huge kick out of everyone automatically assuming that Hakoda was forcing Katara into an arranged marriage. Not so ;) Although poor Hama :(**

**Special thanks go out to audreyii-fic for providing suggestions and helping me slug through the bullshit of this chapter. Thanks hon!**

**Hope you all aren't **_**too **_**pissed with me. There was vague, PG-13ish sex though! That helped soften the blow, right? Right? Review and let me know what you think! **


	18. Interlude: Three Years

**A/N:**

**A back to back update?**

**Yeah. This will never happen again.**

* * *

><p>At first Zuko thinks it's the Avatar that's weird. His life views are strange—too peaceful really, to be believable. There will always be bad apples existing in the world, and Zuko wonders why the Avatar doesn't seem to understand that.<p>

But after spending a few months in the Western Air Temple, Zuko realizes it's not the Avatar that's weird, it's the _Air Nomads._

They're a carefree sort of people.

Zuko has no longer has patience for people who are carefree.

Thinking of a future lost, he challenges the Avatar to a firebending duel (out of boredom, he'll later say).

He promptly has his ass handed to him.

He spends the rest of the evening listening to the Avatar talk about spirituality and how understanding that everyone thinks differently is one of the many keys to life.

That was the day he turned nineteen.

* * *

><p>The waterbending women of the North Pole give her all sorts of different looks when she demonstrates bloodbending during a healing lesion.<p>

There are looks of horror, looks of curiosity, looks of disgust, and looks of wonder.

She's never asked to demonstrate in another lesson, however.

So Katara fills up some of her time by teaching some of the young girls a couple of seemingly innocent waterbending tricks, like how to pull water out of people's clothes, or how to pin things to the walls of their homes using ice picks.

It's a good hobby, she thinks.

One day she builds up enough courage to approach Master Pakku and show him how she uses bloodbending to stop an enemy. You don't have to harm them, she explains, just detain them.

He tells her that from now on she can sit in on his waterbending classes. She finds this amusing, since she's already a better waterbender then all of his students.

Later, she'll wonder for the umpteenth time whether or not moving up here was the correct decision.

That was the day she turned seventeen.

* * *

><p>He and the Avatar are in Ba Sing Se when Zuko sees him.<p>

Him being Jet.

They're outside of the same government building (Zuko is waiting for the Avatar to finish up some business) and Jet is unsaddling his ostrich-horse. Zuko is perfectly fine with ignoring Jet's existence and for a while Jet seems to be ignoring him as well.

Until he asks, "You marry her?" He drawls it out like he doesn't care, but Zuko can see the tension in his shoulders.

"No." Quick and to the point. They can go back to silence now.

"Well, you're an idiot."

Zuko's fingers curl into fists and he has to remind himself that he travels with the Avatar, and that burning Jet's arms off in the middle of a populated street filled with small children would be inappropriate.

Even if Jet was a rude little fucker.

"Who broke up with whom?"

Zuko isn't sure why he answers, but he does. "Technically she did."

He glances to the side to see Jet smiling. "She was always smart."

Four hours later they're both drunk in the nearest pub. While Zuko thinks he'd rather cut off, fry, and eat his own fingers before he called Jet an acquaintance, let alone a friend, he muses that Jet makes a decent drinking companion, if anything.

Jet flirts with the female bartender, but she's batting her eyes at Zuko. Jet insists that Zuko should do something about it, but Zuko simply shakes his head and sobers up.

On his way back to the house where he and the Avatar are staying, Zuko thinks that maybe female bartenders just aren't his type.

He ignores the fact that she had had blue eyes.

That was the night he turned twenty.

* * *

><p>Katara has never really drank before.<p>

Her friend Kamik resolves to change that. He gives her copious amounts of ice wine, and she spends the rest of the evening giggling uncontrollably and dancing with anyone who will stand still long enough.

The next morning she wakes up to a pounding headache that even her water won't soothe and a letter that she'd written to Zuko the night before.

It's both apologetic and poetic, and she considers actually sending it until the fifth paragraph, where her drunken self spirals off into a full blown description of her toes.

Sighing, she crunches the letter up in a fist. She decides that next time she drinks she should hide her parchment and ink beforehand.

That was the morning after she turned eighteen.

* * *

><p>At the end of each of his letters to Zuko, Sokka always off handedly describes what's going on with Katara.<p>

This is one of the many reasons why Zuko considers Sokka his best friend.

Today seems like any other. Zuko is leaning against a tree, writing a reply for Sokka, when the Avatar walks right up to him.

At first Zuko assumes that the Avatar want to talk philosophy over tea, but the Avatar shakes his head and informs him that they'll leave for the North Pole in a few months. It's been quite some time since the Avatar has been there and he thinks he might like to talk to Chief Arnook.

Zuko tries not to let his panic show, but there is a knowing twinkle in Avatar Aang's eye.

He spends the rest of the evening staring at his unfinished letter and trying not to shake.

When dawn finally breaks Zuko realizes that there are still thousands of things he wants to say but isn't sure if he'll be strong enough to ever utter them aloud.

That was the morning after he turned twenty one.

* * *

><p>Katara is practically an old spinster by the Northern Water Tribe's standards. She is both unmarried and childless, which is frowned upon by basically everyone.<p>

Because of this, Katara decides that maybe she should spend the rest of her life unmarried and childless, just to irritate them all.

Although, it's not like men haven't been interested, because they have. She's had quite a few wannabe suitors these past couple of years, but she thinks that maybe she doesn't have any concern for them.

She ignores the fact that none of them have golden eyes.

Besides, Pakku has "allowed" her to start up a waterbending class for young girls, and the overwhelming amount that want to learn are enough like her children as it is. Katara decides that she'll be the one to teach them how to be independent and strong, since their own mothers will not.

It's after she's finished class for a day when she first hears it. She's writing a letter to Azula (who always opens her letters with a throwaway paragraph on how Zuko is doing, which Katara will always be grateful for), when Kamik bursts into her one bedroom home.

"The Avatar is coming!" he exclaims with excitement.

Katara spends the rest of the evening sitting on her bed, contemplating whether or not it would be healthy to build a fortress underneath the snow and live off seal jerky and bits of ice for the next six months.

That was the night she turned nineteen.

* * *

><p><strong>AN #2:**

**Did you like it? Awesome! You should review.**

**Did you hate it? That sucks. You should review.**

**Do you have no opinion either way? How interesting. You should review.**


	19. Nineteen and Twenty One

For the most part Katara thinks she's doing okay.

She's managed not to throw up, or have a nervous breakdown, or hyperventilate. Her small home is clean and tidy; nothing is out of place. She's managed to smile at everyone she's come across. She taught her waterbending class with all the focus she would have on a normal day.

But ever since the Avatar's ship was spotted she's been sitting on the edge of her bed, clenching her hands against her knees and staring at her fur covered floor.

What if he's still angry with her? They haven't spoken in _years. _What if he hates her, or refuses to talk to her?

She worries her lip and practically jumps out of her skin when someone bangs against her front door and shouts, "He's officially here!"

She lets out a barely audible whimper. It's go-time.

She stands up, brushes nonexistent dust off of her parka and thick pants, holds her head up and marches right out of her home.

Her steps are steady, she's not fumbling, and she's holding herself up straight—

She catches a hint of red and orange through the crowd, turns on her heel and practically bolts back down the street and around the corner behind the training area. She leans against one of the large ice walls and takes deep breaths, letting the cold air shock her lungs and wake up her system.

She tilts her head up and takes in the white sky, feeling frustrated.

She's being a coward and she knows it.

She turns a little bit, trying to gain her bearings and attempt to find him again.

"Hello, Katara," comes a soft voice.

She whirls around, startled.

"Avatar Aang," she gasps, pressing a hand against her chest. "Uh, h-how are you doing?"

She's never really properly met the Avatar. She spoke to him briefly during Lu Ten's wedding, but that was one night she would absolutely _love _to have erased from her memory.

"I'm doing quite all right." He offers her a kind smile. He takes a moment to glance around and absorb their surroundings. "Now, what is so interesting back here that it has kept you from coming and greeting my apprentice?"

She feels the blood rushing into her cheeks. "I-I was just, erm—"

"No matter!" He gestures for her to follow him and happily leads her back to where the crowds are. They both stop at the edge of the gathering, and Katara catches Zuko in the middle of the clearing.

He's juggling a couple of fireballs between his hands, thoroughly enrapturing a group of children at his feet. The children's eyes are wide and occasionally they clap or make "oooo"ing noises.

Katara can see that the corner of Zuko's mouth is tilting, as if he's trying very hard not to smile and look as amused as he is.

After a while the crowd starts to thin out as everyone begins to prepare for the feast in the Avatar's honor.

Eventually the children are called away by their parents, or they lose interest in the levitating balls of fire. After the last kid walks away, Zuko lowers his arms takes in a deep breath.

Suddenly all the amusement is gone from his face and he looks _terrified._

Katara can relate.

She takes a tiny step towards him and the snow crunches loudly under her feet. Zuko's head jerks up and just like that neither of them can pretend anymore. She notices how he looks older, but in a good way. A _really _good way. Somehow it only makes this situation feel worse.

She puts her hands behind her back and he shoves his into the pockets of his pants. He shuffles towards her; she shuffles towards him.

"Hi," they both say at the same time.

Katara lets out a slight laugh; anything to make the mood a little lighter.

But Zuko only stares at her shoulder, frowning.

She digs her toe into the snow. "How was the trip over here?"

He shrugs one shoulder. "Fine."

"That's good to hear."

"Mhmm."

"Are you liking the North Pole so far?"

"Yeah."

"Are you excited for the feast?"

"Sure."

"Are you ever going to speak to me in sentences longer than one-word?"

"Nope."

Her mouth opens up in surprise, but for the first time since they've started speaking Zuko gives her a tiny smile and looks into her face. "Sorry," he says. He fumbles for a moment for something else to say. "It's just, this is really…"

"Strange?" she offers. She looks right up at him, determined not to let her gaze waver. She wants to at least _appear _strong.

He lets out a loud sigh, obviously frustrated. "A little, yeah. I was hoping it wouldn't be but—"

She cuts him off with a shake of her head. "Don't."

He swallows and nods.

She bites her lips and shifts her weight between her feet. "Zuko…"

His eyes widen and he jumps slightly at his name.

"It's just," she continues, pretending she didn't notice, "we're adults now so…" she trails off, not quite knowing what she's trying to imply. She knows that neither of them can just _forget _about what happened so quickly, but maybe they could at least try to move forward. Or pretend to. Anything to make this horrendous awkwardness go away. Anything to make the _horrendous _go away.

"I understand," she hears him say. Their eyes catch and suddenly Katara wants nothing more than to curl up underneath the furs on top of her bed and sleep through the next week. Or cry. Whichever.

A long moment of silence stretches between them.

His eyes leave her face to roam over the rest of her body before coming back up to settle at a point between her jaw and collarbone.

"You look good, Katara," he offers softly.

Something aches in her chest. "Thank you. So do you." And it's true.

She finds herself resisting the urge to reach out and brush his shaggy bangs away from his eyes. "The feast should be soon," she says weakly in a feeble attempt to change the subject.

"Okay." He takes a step back. "I think the Avatar needed me to help him out with, uh, something. I'll see you later."

And then he turns around and walks away.

* * *

><p>The great hall is cluttered with people and the smell of steamed seafood fills the air.<p>

Katara quietly makes her way towards the back in order to appear as inconspicuous as possible. She spots Kamik; he's waving his hand and gesturing for her to sit down in the empty spot next to him.

She almost makes it to the seat when she hears someone shouting her name. Loudly.

She freezes.

"Is it who I think it is?" she asks her friend dully.

Kamik nods slowly and gives her a sad smile. "You're needed by the Avatar."

"Just _great._"

She turns around and begins to make her way towards the front of the great hall, where all the important people sit. Technically she has a seat up front if she wants it, but Katara would rather sit with her friends and amongst her students.

The Avatar is standing up and beaming at her. To be frank, he looks as if he's about to shrivel away. But Katara would bet that he's a lot more powerful then he seems. Perhaps she could ask him to show her some waterbending moves one day. He's probably picked up a nifty trick or two in his one hundred and seventeen years of existence.

"Katara!" he exclaims with excitement. He points to the empty seat beside him—and beside Zuko. "Won't you sit down next to me and my esteemed apprentice? I've heard so much about your waterbending talent and how you've managed to transform so many things here in the North Pole! It would be mine and my apprentice's _honor_ to have you sit with us this evening."

Katara's shoulders slump. How could she possibly refuse that?

"Alright," she agrees.

As she sits down she notices Zuko glowering at his plate.

"Hungry?" she says in a pathetic attempt at starting conversation.

"I could eat," he answers without bothering to look at her.

And thus they sit.

Fifteen minutes pass by before Arnook finally enters the great hall and gives a light speech on how happy the North Pole is to be hosting the Avatar.

The whole time all Katara can really think about is the fact that Zuko is literally inches away from her. She hasn't seen or spoken to him in years and suddenly he's right _here._ And she's not dreaming either. This is real.

Whenever he shifts in his seat, she notices.

Whenever he takes a deep breath or sighs, she notices.

Whenever he taps his feet or fiddles his thumbs, she notices.

Whenever he peeks at her out of the corner of his eye and then jumps because she's caught him, she most definitely notices.

And then dinner is served.

Its sea prunes and seal meat along with a small selection of vegetation that grows around the outskirts of the city.

Katara grew up on this type of food, so she begins to eat without a thought. After a beat, however, she notices Zuko staring down at his plate with apprehension.

He pokes at the sea prunes before turning his head slightly in her direction. "What…what is that?"

She has to force herself not to smile.

"Sea prunes," she answers. "They're good," she adds.

He gives her a look of disbelief before letting out a sigh of defeat and popping a bite into his mouth. He chews for about half a second before his whole body stiffens.

"Wut did I jus put in muh mouth?" His lips part a bit, as if he would like nothing more than to spit his half eaten sea prune back out onto his plate. He looks as if he's about to cry.

"Swallow! Swallow!" Katara says, openly giggling and pushing Zuko's glass of water close to him. He does and then immediately gulps down half of his water.

The Avatar is grinning at them both. "Enjoying your sea prunes, Prince Zuko?"

Both Zuko and Katara notice at the same time that there are no sea prunes on the Avatar's plate.

"Why didn't you _warn _me?" Zuko snaps, clearly accusing both of them.

The Avatar is practically beaming. "Well, you already eat such strange things, Prince Zuko, like meat, that I wasn't sure whether or not you'd dislike sea prunes."

Katara snorts and bursts out laughing. Zuko glares at her. "Yeah. Laugh it up. You didn't warn me either."

Katara shrugs. "Hey, I like them." She happily eats one to further illustrate her point and Zuko looks at her in disgust.

After that Katara has to coax him into trying to seal meat, which he enjoys, and they both find themselves in a relaxed, if slightly awkward conversation about food.

Neither of them notices how pleased the Avatar seems to be with himself.

* * *

><p>She gazes at her reflection with obvious nervousness.<p>

Her hair is down, and it's wavy and shiny. She had considered for a moment whether or not she should put beads in it but nixed the idea. She wanted to look…older. Or, at least, she wanted to look her age.

She's not wearing any jewelry, and she's wearing one of her nicer parkas and pants.

She could throw up.

She manages not to.

It's pitch black outside, but there are bonfires all throughout the city in celebration. There will be music, dancing, stories, and ice wine.

Katara is looking forward to the ice wine. She's hoping it will help calm her.

For a moment she considers lining her eyes with charcoal, or dotting color on her lips, but no. That would make her seem too obvious. She wants to look pretty for Zuko, but she didn't want him to _think _that she wants to look pretty for him. She has to look effortless or he will know and she'd look silly and this whole night would be ruined before it even starts.

She groans and makes herself look away from her mirror.

They weren't even _friends _anymore and yet she still cared way too much about what he thought of her.

Nukka is curled up on a pile of furs in the corner of the room. She is starting to move pretty slowly these days and Katara doesn't want to stress her by making her go outside. She'd have to ask Zuko if maybe Sang could visit later. She's noticed that Zuko's wolf has followed him practically everywhere since Zuko and the Avatar have arrived.

"How do I look?" she asks Nukka. The wolf picks her head up, surveys Katara and then places her head back onto her paws, uncaring.

"That good, huh?"

Katara takes a deep breath and walks out of her home.

She finds them fairly easily. Too easily.

"Ah, Katara!" the Avatar calls out. He and Zuko are standing about five feet away from her home. "Don't you look lovely this evening!" He turns to his apprentice and makes a sweeping gesture to Katara. "Prince Zuko, doesn't Katara look lovely this evening?"

Zuko doesn't look remotely amused. "Uh huh."

The Avatar claps his hands together once. "Wonderful! Now let's go enjoy the fires, shall we?"

As they make their way toward the center of the city, many citizens run up to both the Avatar and Zuko to shake their hands and welcome them to the Northern Water Tribe. The Avatar seems used to the attention, but every time someone approaches Zuko or pats him on the shoulder he looks shocked.

Katara gently elbows him in the ribs. "I thought you'd be used to this sort of thing."

Zuko glances at her and shrugs. "Not really. I'm just the Avatar's apprentice. It's not like I do anything worthwhile."

Katara frowns at this. "Sure you do. The Avatar finds you worthy enough to travel with him, so he must consider you important."

Zuko looks uncomfortable. "Well, I basically begged him to let me be his apprentice so…" he trails off awkwardly and makes a point to stare at the snow.

Katara crosses her arms over her chest and looks away. "He still took you on, though. That has to mean something."

"It doesn't really matter."

She glances back over at him. He's staring ahead of them now with a blank expression on his face.

"I think it does," she answers honestly.

If he reacts to her words at all he doesn't show it.

They continue to walk from fire to fire for a solid hour, and neither of them ever really speak to the other. A couple of times Katara considers just walking away, but there's something magnetic that's making her stay put.

She just can't seem to pull herself away, even if this hurts.

And then the Avatar starts to rub the small of his back and look uncomfortable. "Oh! Oh! My back! These old bones just aren't what they used to be."

Zuko already looks suspicious.

The Avatar dramatically rolls his shoulders and takes a hobbled step forward. "Maybe I should retire for the evening. You two should enjoy yourselves without me."

Zuko glares openly at the back of the Avatar's bald, tattooed head. "But Avatar Aang—"

"No, no, I insist! Don't let me damper your good time." And then he's moving away, occasionally pretending to limp.

Zuko huffs. "I knew he'd do that."

Katara smiles in amusement. "Do what?"

"Leave me here alone with you."

Katara feels as if someone's struck her. Irritated and slightly hurt she moves a step back. "I didn't realize that would be a problem."

For a moment Zuko looks thunderstruck, and then he's rapidly shaking his head. "Katara, you know I didn't mean it like that."

She narrows her eyes. "It sure sounded that way."

Zuko lets out an exasperated breath and moves toward her. "Well, I _didn't._ Okay?"

And despite how upset she wants to be, Zuko just looks so confused, frustrated and _unsure _that she can't really help but believe him. In a way, she feels the same.

She doesn't know where either of them should go from here.

She forces herself to relax her posture before nodding solemnly.

There's silence. "So…what do you want to do now?"

* * *

><p>They awkwardly watch a waterbending demonstration, their shoulders not quite touching.<p>

* * *

><p>They awkwardly stand on the sidelines of a bonfire as tribe members beat on drums and other tribe members sing and dance. One look at each other and both of them know that neither really wants to dance.<p>

* * *

><p>They're sitting around a fire and Zuko is picking at a piece of jerky when Katara notices that he looks a little bit different then he had earlier that day.<p>

It looks like he's combed his hair, shaved, and is wearing nicer boots. It looks as if he's tried to look nice for her.

Katara allows herself a small smile.

* * *

><p>And then, because the Spirits decide to take pity on them, Zuko and Katara are handed a bottle of ice wine.<p>

* * *

><p>Zuko sniffs the liquid in his cup.<p>

Katara has already had a cupful and her cheeks feel warm. "Why are you _sniffing _it?"

"After the sea prunes I have every right to be wary."

Katarawatches as he takes a mouthful and nearly gags. She gives him a look of utter innocence. "Can't _handle_ it?"

Zuko raises his good eyebrow before tossing back the rest of his cup.

And then he's pouring himself another cup and giving her a look that clearly screams _challenge_.

And then it was _on_.

* * *

><p>"I'm just saying," Zuko's words are slurring slightly, "that the Blue Spirit is deserving of more credit then you're, like—" hiccup "—giving him."<p>

Katara shakes her head and waves her arms a bit, ice wine sloshing over the rim of her cup. "No no no. See, the thing, the thing with the Blue Spirit is yeah, he helps people, but like, then he goes and steals from other people and that just seems counterproductive to me. Like, I don't get his logic there."

Zuko gives her a look as if he pities her. "But see, the Blue Spirit steals from bad people and makes sure that the _good _people receive the wealth of the bad people. He makes sure that everybody worthy is taken care of. I mean, the Painted Lady, like…all she does is lame shit like heal people. Not that healing people in general is lame but, I don't, I don't see how that makes her an adequate super hero. She can't even fight—"

"No—no! That's not true!" Katara shoves an accusatory finger into Zuko's chest. "She is a very, very powerful waterbender!"

Zuko shakes his head. "Okay, okay, no. Nowhere in the original legend does it say anywhere that she was a waterbender!"

"But it talks about how her water, her healing water turned blue so we can only assume—"

"To assume makes an 'ass' out of 'u' and 'me'!"

"—that she was a powerful waterbender."

Zuko rolls his eyes. "I still don't see how she measures up to the Blue Spirit. The Blue Spirit is a master with dual swords. And all the Painted Lady can do is splash people."

"_You take that back!_"

* * *

><p>Katara is hiccupping while she and Zuko lazily fling balls of their elements at each other.<p>

"_Ow!_ You singed me!" She had rolled up her sleeves some time ago because she felt hot, and now her forearm feels too warm and looks slightly red.

In an instant Zuko is in front of her, invading her space. "What? Where?"

"Right there." She pouts and holds her arm up. "My arm hairs…" she pauses so she can hiccup, "are _gone_."

And then they're both laughing and somewhere in the back of her mind Katara is very grateful for ice wine.

* * *

><p>They're both starting to get touchy-feely. He's got an arm around her waist and she's got his harm in a tight grip, as if she's afraid she'll tip over if she lets go. Which she probably would.<p>

"I like stars!"

"Me _too!_"

* * *

><p>Katara practically drags Zuko towards the waterbending training area in order to show him the big, fancy ice sculpture.<p>

Except, she can't remember who it's actually a sculpture of.

"Uh…uh. I'm thinking maybe it's Chief Arnook. Wait! No! It's Master Pakku!"

"Aren't they—" hiccup "—a little too _old _to have sculptures erected in their honor?"

"They should make a sculpture of Hama. She was better than _all _of them."

In the end it didn't matter who it was a sculpture of, because a couple minutes later Katara was at the base of it, puking.

He takes her back to her one bedroom house and gives her water, and when she runs back outside to be sick again he holds her hair and says that she owes him one if _he _starts to throw up.

* * *

><p>"You never wrote me."<p>

"You never wrote _me_."

"Were you angry with me? For what I did to us?"

"Kind of. Yes."

"I'll understand if you want to hate me."

"I'm pretty sure hating you would be impossible, Katara."

"Really? I find it pretty easy, personally."

"Stop. Don't say that."

"It's true. I missed you, you know. I _miss_ you, Zuko."

"I think you're still drunk."

"Am not! Okay, maybe."

"Go to sleep, Katara."

"You won't leave in the middle of the night, right? You'll stay with me? You won't go away?"

"Yeah. I'll stay."

"Goodnight, Zuko."

"Goodnight, Katara."

"…"

"I missed you too."

* * *

><p>The early morning light is not kind to Katara.<p>

Blinking groggily, she slowly sits up in her bed and surveys her room.

Zuko is passed out on her floor atop a massive pile of furs.

She groans loudly, partly out of actual pain and partly because she needs him to get up.

He jerks awake and nearly jumps to his feet before he registers where he is. He moans and slumps back down onto the furs. "I feel like ass."

"Same." Katara starts to run her hands along her face and arms in vigorous motions in an attempt to wake herself up and get her blood flowing.

Last night…is sort of a blur. She remembers arguing with Zuko over something and vague images of the ice sculpture were there as well.

She grins. "You threw up on the ice sculpture last night, didn't you?"

Zuko takes a break in massaging his forehead to raise an eyebrow at her. "Uh, no. That was definitely you."

"I don't think so."

"No, no, it certainly was. You were upset because you thought you might have been puking on the future Hama." Zuko snorts at this.

She grins, happy to see him laugh. "Right." She glances down at herself underneath her furs. She's still dressed in the clothes from the night before.

And then Zuko is asking her The Question.

"Nothing happened last night. Right…?"

She can feel herself blushing. She can't look at him but she can only imagine how red he must be. "Erm, no. My upper body wraps are still intact. You, um, always had trouble with those, remember?"

There's a sigh. "Yeah. Yeah, I remember." And then he's standing up and straightening up the floor.

"You know, I should really get back to the Avatar and see what he's doing."

She nods at him from atop her bed. "Okay." She pauses. "You had fun…?"

He looks back up and gives her a genuine smile. "Yeah, Katara. I had fun."

* * *

><p>That evening he brings over Sang to visit Nukka. As they both watch the wolves, everything starts to spill out. They talk about everything from their families, to their lives, to what each of them are up to.<p>

But neither of them talks about what happened three years ago.

Katara is just happy they're talking at all.

* * *

><p>Three days after that they're throwing ice discs at their wolves again, although this time Nukka barely bothers to catch hers.<p>

They joke around and laugh, no ice wine required. It's nice, not really awkward anymore, but it's not the same. Katara realizes it never will be.

Katara thinks she's grateful just for _this._

* * *

><p>And just like that Zuko and the Avatar are leaving.<p>

"You'll write to me?" She doesn't want to seem like she's begging, or like she's pestering him, but she doesn't think she can go back to the way things were.

"I'll write. And you'll write back."

He's looking down at her and giving her a small, if somewhat sad smile. She thinks maybe he's sad because he's saying goodbye. Or at least, she hopes that's why.

Before he can shuffle away she throws her arms around his neck and yanks him down for a hug. He smells good, she thinks, and he feels good underneath her hands.

She reminds herself that she can't kiss him goodbye this time.

It takes him a moment, but he returns the hug, pulling her up tight against him for a brief moment before letting her go.

"I'm glad we're friends again," she says quickly before she can lose her nerve.

Instead of smiling he frowns. "Me too." And then he's leaning in and giving her a soft kiss on her forehead.

Then he leaves.

The next morning, Katara thinks she might have fallen asleep crying. She _deserves _to feel this way, she supposes. She can only hope that maybe _he_ doesn't. He _doesn't _deserve to feel this way.

She writes her first letter to Zuko right away. She has to end it with _Your friend, Katara_.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**This chapter amused me greatly. I hope it amused you too.**

**As I'm typing this, in about an hour it will officially be my birthday. I'm turning 21. My fellow Americans understand why this is kind of a big deal.**

**:D**

**Tomorrow, as I take my free birthday shot at Taco Mac and then some, I will briefly think of all of you. Because you guys are awesome and you should be thought of.**

**Also, I'm super duper tired right now (so if this author's not seems odder than usual, that's why) but I really **_**really **_**wanted to update this story this weekend, so if there's a few more typos than usual, well, yeah. Sorry! Hope everyone enjoyed this regardless!**

**Review review review!**

**:D**


	20. Twenty and Twenty Two

**A/N:**

**Yes, yes I do realize that it's been awhile. Reasons as to why coming in the author's note after this chapter.**

* * *

><p><em>Dear Zuko,<em>

_Man, you're going back to the Fire Nation for a bit (you better be, 'cause I sent this letter to the palace)? I'm admittedly a little jealous. It's always cold here. Not that I mind, of course I don't. But crazy warm summers in the Fire Nation were something that I always looked forward to. Anyway, tell your mom (miss her!), Lu Ten, his wife and their daughter that I said hello. You all call their daughter "Ke Ke" right? That is literally the cutest damn thing ever. Hopefully I'll be able to meet her one day soon._

_I know you'll see Azula while you're there and her letter should have arrived along with this one. While you're visiting your family make __sure__ to spend some time with her. She misses you. I mean, she would never say so since she's Azula, but she does. And don't mention Sokka if you don't have to. I mean, from what I know of they still talk all the time, but still. Just don't do it._

_Speaking of Sokka, does he seem to be acting weird to you? I actually haven't seen him in awhile, but his letters are worrying me. Tell me I'm not crazy and that you've picked up on something too, okay?_

_Alright, so big news regarding here. You know that ice sculpture that you totally threw up on the last time you were here? (Okay, maybe it was me. Whatever.) Well, the sculpture was technically of Master Pakku (which I think I already told you) but anyway, this year they're going to be melting that one and erecting a new one and I may be in the process of convincing the council to have the new statue be of Hama. That would be amazing, wouldn't it? Thing is, if the council does agree to let the sculpture be of Hama then __I'm__ going to have to be the one to sculpt it. Tell me, have I ever struck you as an artist? I hope my waterbending can help me out with this._

_I hope you're doing well. Tell Avatar Aang that he's certainly missed here in the North Pole. And so are you, Zuko._

_Miss you,_

_Katara_

* * *

><p>"Uncle Zukey!"<p>

A four year old little girl grabs a hold of Zuko's leg and proceeds to tug on the fabric of his pants.

Zuko accidentally splotches ink onto the parchment he was about to write on and sighs. He leans to his side and looks down at Lu Ten's daughter, Kě Aì, or "Ke Ke" as they all called her.

"What's up?"

Ke Ke pulls her small fists up to her chest and wiggles her entire body in barely contained excitement. Then she lets out a squeal and runs around Zuko's desk, giggling the entire time. Then she stops by Zuko's side again and grins up at him. "Hi."

Zuko ruffles her straight black hair affectionately. "Ke Ke, does your dad know you're in here?"

Ke Ke grins and shakes her head. "No."

Zuko attempts to turn back to his letter, but a four year old with a pleading face keeps distracting him. Finally he places his ink brush down. "What do you want, Squirt?"

Ke Ke's eyes go wide. "Uncle Zukey, can I play with your dolls? _Pwease?_"

Zuko opens a draw to his desk and Ke Ke starts to hop up and down with glee. Zuko pulls out the dolls, a little worn now but still in good shape (especially the one Katara made), and holds them out in front of the little girl.

"Now, what did Uncle Zukey say last time about playing with his dolls?"

Ke Ke frowns, obviously thinking very hard, and plays with her fingers. "That…that I couldn't pull on, um, the girl doll's hair. 'Cause these are, um, these are Uncle Zukey's _special _dolls."

Zuko smiles and hands her the dolls. "That's right, Squirt."

Ke Ke flops onto the floor, grinning. She sets doll Zuko to the side and starts to carefully finger comb doll Katara's yarn hair.

Then she starts singing. "_Winter, spring, sum-mer, an' fall._" She sways back and forth. "_Winter, spring, sum-mer, an' fall."_ Then she abruptly stops and looks up at Zuko expectantly.

Zuko begrudgingly starts to sing as well. "_Four seasons, four loves._"

Ke Ke grins and then throws her arms out, belting. "_FOUR SEASONS, FOUR LOVES. FOUR SEASONS, FOUR LOVES._"

Zuko claps politely and Ke Ke giggles.

Under the impression that his four year old kind-of-niece can entertain herself for the next couple of minutes, Zuko picks his ink brush back up.

"Uncle Zukey?" Ke Ke draws out his name (or what he allows her to call him because it's kind of adorable, if annoying) in an almost whine.

"Yeah, Squirt?"

"I want the dolls to play kissy face. Why can't they play kissy face?"

Zuko turns and faces Ke Ke. "Do you remember what I said last time?"

Ke Ke nods and heaves a deep sigh. "That they don't _want _to play kissy face. That they're just friends."

Zuko nods. Ke Ke frowns and crosses her arms over her little chest, huffing. "But that's no fun. Big kids _always _want to play kissy face!"

"Tell me about it."

The door to Zuko's office bangs open and Lu Ten's face appears, somewhat frantic. When he spots his daughter his shoulders sag with relief.

"_There _you are." He walks over to his daughter and glares down at her. "Princess Kě Aì, what did daddy say about running off where he can't find you? _What did daddy say?_"

Ke Ke puts her arms behind her back and peers up at Lu Ten with wide, guilt-free eyes. "That I shouldn't do it."

Lu Ten keeps up his glare for all of ten seconds before his face softens. "That's _right_. So let's not do that again, okay? Because scaring daddy is not nice."

"Scarin' daddy is not nice," Ke Ke repeats.

Lu Ten smiles before looking up at Zuko. "Did she interrupt anything?"

Zuko shrugs. "Not really. I was just writing a letter to Katara."

Lu Ten presses his lips together to keep from smirking before looking back down at his daughter. "Ke Ke, did you know that your Uncle Zuko loves you _so much _that he would let you pull his attention away from a letter to his lady—"

"_Lu Ten_," Zuko interrupts, irritated. "Must you?"

His cousin openly smirks before reaching down and scooping Ke Ke up into his arms. "Come on, Princess. We have afternoon tea."

"With Grandpappy Iroh?" Ke Ke asks, clapping her hands together in excitement.

"Yep."

There's a squeal of mirth and then Lu Ten and Ke Ke are leaving Zuko's office, Lu Ten making sure to close the door behind him.

With a sigh Zuko picks the dolls up off the floor and puts them back inside the desk drawer before finally returning to his letter.

* * *

><p><em>Katara—<em>

_Yes, I'm in the Fire Nation. Yes, I got your letter (obviously). I also sent along your message to the rest of the family. Mom hopes you're doing alright. I think she's secretly scared you're going to be eaten by a polar dog or something (mom hasn't traveled outside of the Fire Nation much). Yep, we call her "Ke Ke" and it is obnoxious how adorable she is. Remember those dolls we made a few years ago? I let her play with those. She combs your doll's hair and sings. I kind of melt. A little._

_Why would I not mention Sokka to Azula? As far as I know they're still good friends. Is this some feminine thing that I won't understand? You know what, don't answer that. __Of course__ it is. All of my major life problems stem from feminine things that I don't understand._

_You do realize that asking if Sokka seems weird is like asking the sun if it's feeling warm. Dude's special. But anyway, I think what you're reading as weirdness is just Sokka's stress. I don't think he was quite prepared for the massive undertaking that training to become Chief would be. He's just got a lot on his mind, so cut him some slack._

_Katara, that sounds amazing. I think this is less about how artistic you are and more about how accurately you want to represent a person who happened to mean a great deal to you. I know you'll be fine. And yes, I would imagine that your master waterbending would come in handy. We're talking about an ice sculpture. You can manipulate ice. I'm pretty sure this situation is tilted in your favor. You didn't tell me how your waterbending classes were coming along. Hope nothing bad has happened that you're not telling me about._

_I'll tell Avatar Aang your message. I'll be here in the Fire Nation for the next couple of months and I think he's coming around at the end of the second month. Then we're supposed to head to an air temple and then back into the Earth Kingdom. But I'm not entirely sure. The interesting thing about Avatar Aang is he just sort of goes wherever he feels he's most needed. It's weird. Most be some mumbo-jumbo spiritual air monk thing. Miss you too._

_Zuko_

* * *

><p>Zuko's bedroom looks the same as it did four years ago when he abruptly left it. Obviously servants have kept it clean throughout the years, and at one point in time someone has cleaned out the small desk that sits in the corner of his room.<p>

He places one of his leather traveling bags on top of his bed. He's been back "home" for a couple of weeks now, but he has yet to do this.

This particular leather bag is almost always worn slung across his shoulders, hanging right beside his hip. He upturns the bag and watches the contents fall out and roll across the silk bedspread.

Then he quietly gathers all of Katara's letters (some are scrolls and some are folded pieces of parchment) and brings them over to his desk. He spends the next couple of minutes tucking them into compartments and making sure that they are kept out of sight.

He remembers being younger, when he and Katara would write casual letters to each other when they weren't hanging out over the summer. He usually didn't keep her letters then. Sometimes he'd simply throw them away, or burn them when he was bored. He only kept the ones where she talked about her secrets, or when she said something that made him laugh or smile. He had never felt compelled to keep them _all_. Not like this.

Once all the letters are put away he sits the leather bag atop the desk. In a few weeks, when the Avatar returns and Zuko will have to leave again, he'll open up the leather bag, replace all of the letters and take them with him.

Zuko thinks that this is the way that things must be. Sometimes just knowing that her words are close make Katara seem closer to him then she did the day before.

* * *

><p>Zuko's firebending is interesting.<p>

Watching the Avatar constantly use all four methods of bending means that Zuko was able to soak up a couple new techniques and apply them to firebending. Having the Avatar has a part time instructor didn't hurt either.

It's probably while Zuko is thoroughly kicking Lu Ten's ass in the sparring arena this afternoon.

Lu Ten, whose chest is heaving with exhaustion and is covered in sweat, moves his arms in a complicated arc and sends a wave of fire in Zuko's direction. Zuko disperses it, zips in towards Lu Ten and attacks. It's an airbending move that the Avatar applied to firebending some seventy five years ago. It works.

Lu Ten throws his hands up in the air and admits defeat. "What was _that?_"

Zuko shrugs, smirking. "Traveling with the Avatar has its benefits."

The sound of applause comes from the side of the arena and both men turn their heads to see Azula standing off on the sidelines.

Zuko's sister straightens up and makes her way towards them, wearing armor.

"That was impressive," she says, giving a half smile to both of them. "I mean, considering it was you two it was impressive."

Lu Ten rolls his eyes. "It's nice to see you too, Azula." He turns back to Zuko. "Thanks for the spar." Then he's rolling his shoulders and walking away, obviously not happy that he actually lost for once.

Zuko and Azula size each other up for a moment.

Azula inclines her head. "Brother."

"Sister."

She snorts and shakes her head. "I'd hug you, but you look like you smell."

"That's because I probably do."

"Right. Come find me in the dining room when you've cleaned up." She walks around him and disappears from the arena.

Fifteen minutes later Zuko walks into the dining hall to find his sister sitting by herself at the head of the table, reading over some papers and munching on an apple. Zuko pulls out the chair to her left and sits down, grabbing his own apple.

There is silence for some time, but this bothers neither of them.

When Azula finishes her apple she says, "How's the Avatar?"

"Irritatingly jolly yet wise. How's the military?"

Azula's expression sours. "Majority of them are idiots or have no fighting prowess. Or both."

"I bet the other soldiers tremble in their boots whenever you walk by." Zuko bites into his apple.

Azula props her elbows up on the table top. "The ones that know me probably do. The ones that don't usually have a disgustingly flattering comment or two about my royal status or looks."

"Are they all dead?"

"_Please_ Zuko. I'm quite professional about it. I only set their sleeves on fire."

At this Zuko breaks out in a grin. "You'll scare off all your potential romantic interests that way, Azula."

Her lips twitch at that. "I don't have time for that sort of thing." The line of her mouth hardens in determination. "I have an army I want to shape up. Relationship nonsense isn't in the picture, especially if I want to be General one day." She eyes him sharply. "Not all of us can gallivant about with the Avatar for the rest of our lives."

Zuko stiffens in his chair. "I'm doing what's best for me."

"You're wasting time and you know it. You're a leader. You could be doing something more productive."

Zuko resists the urge to bang his fist against the table. "Being the Avatar's apprentice _is _productive."

Azula curls her upper lip at him. "The Avatar doesn't _need _an apprentice, Zuko. Why don't you quit being immature and just own up to the fact that you can't face real life problems?"

"Like _what?_" Zuko growls.

Azula opens her mouth to speak but the door to the dining room opens and a messenger steps in. Zuko spots a scroll with a blue seal clutched in the messenger's hand. In his peripheral vision he sees Azula lean forward as if she's hopeful.

"Prince Zuko, there is a letter for you from the Northern Water Tribe," the messenger announces.

Azula slumps back down in her seat. Zuko would almost swear that she's disappointed.

Zuko stands and takes the letter and thanks the messenger. He rolls the scroll between his fingers as he sits back down and glances at Azula.

His sister keeps talking. "You two still writing?"

Zuko's eyes cut over to her for a brief moment. "You know we are. You and Katara write all the time."

Azula nods and starts to talk more about her military experiences. And as relieved as Zuko is that she's stopped accusing him of being immature, he can't quite concentrate on her words.

A new letter from Katara is right in front of him. He's just a couple of motions away from breaking the seal and seeing her writing, seeing the way she writes his name. His hands are under the table, out of sight, but his fingers twitch around his knees. He can feel himself growing anxious.

He realizes, too late, that Azula has stopped talking. He turns her head and finds her watching him with an unreadable expression.

"How are you, Zuko?" she asks very quietly.

He forces himself to sit still in his seat. "I'm doing just fine, Azula."

She knows he's lying. She always knows when he's lying, and despite that she prods him further. "Any new women in your life? You travel all the time and you're such a _catch_, Zuko, I'm sure you've gathered plenty of admirers."

Quite frankly just the idea of other women makes Zuko feel…void. Nothing.

"I just don't have the time for that sort of thing." He leans back, trying to look casual, trying not to stare at Katara's unopened letter. "I don't think I'm that sort of guy anyway."

Azula stares, unblinkingly at him for a moment. "Should I leave so that you can open Katara's letter? That'd make you happy, wouldn't it?"

Zuko heaves a sigh, caught.

Azula looks at the table and flicks at her apple core. "Mother worries about you, you know. I just think you're being stupid about the whole situation, which is something that you're good at, but mother worries."

"What am I being stupid about?"

"Don't be daft Zuzu. But mother worries, like I said."

"Mom doesn't have anything to worry about. I get to see the world all the time. I work with the Avatar. I'm happy."

Azula's eyes flick to the ceiling in irritation. "This delusion that you've worked up for yourself is fascinating, brother. Self destructive, but fascinating."

Zuko crosses his arms across his chest. He can feel all sorts of negative emotions building up inside him.

"Can we please not—"

"She wonders why you've only visited once," Azula interrupts. "Katara thinks that you only said you wanted to be friends so that you didn't hurt her feelings."

"That's not true," Zuko says instantly.

"She'd understand if you didn't want to."

"I do." Zuko leans forward and puts his face in his hands.

When he looks back up at his sister she's frowning. "I don't understand why you still do. What's left? You just can't move on, can you."

Zuko is silent for a long time.

"Sometimes I have days where I don't think about her all that much. Like, when the Avatar and I are busy, or when a lot is going on and I just don't have _time _to think about her. But she's always there in the back of my mind. It never fades, it never goes away. And it's not like I haven't tried to make it go away because _I have. _I didn't talk to her for years. I traveled all the time so that I wouldn't be here, surrounded by things that remind me of her. But then things like _this _happen." He taps the letter. "It's like, all the sudden nothing else really matters until I find out what she has to say. And I can't even concentrate on anything until I read it. Even after all this time what she does, what she says, _she's _always more important. And I can never really escape that. Sometimes I don't think I even want to."

After he stops speaking he picks at a spot on the wall and stares at it until he builds up the nerve to look over at his sister.

It has always amazed Zuko how Azula will look like she's about to cry, yet there will be no tears in her eyes. She watches him, golden gaze meeting golden gaze.

"I understand. Completely."

* * *

><p><em>Dear Zuko,<em>

_I hope you're enjoying your time in the Fire Nation! And tell your mom that polar dogs are just big, fluffy, harmless creatures. They've never been known to attack humans. In fact, Princess Yue has one, I think. I'm not one hundred percent sure, she doesn't really make a lot of public appearances. KE KE PLAYS WITH OUR DOLLS? Awwww! I wish I was there to see that! I'm actually surprised your doll is still holding up, since it isn't like you could really sew when we made them. (How does mine look, by the way? Still good, right? The stitching is still intact?) _

_Oh, stop it. You act like you don't understand women at all, but you do. Quit playing clueless. And I'm pretty sure that the majority of your life problems do not extend from feminine things you don't understand. You obviously can't see me right now (which is good, because I'm feeling slightly under the weather and I'm sure I look awful), but I'm totally shaking my head as I write this. Don't mention Sokka to Azula!_

_Okay, I guess you have a point about Sokka. But still. I'm his sister; it's practically my job to worry about him. It's just, sometimes I get the feeling that he isn't completely happy and that makes me sad. He's always known that he's going to be Chief one day, and I was always under the impression that that's what he really wanted, you know? I don't know what to do. I always ask him in my letters how he feels and in his replies he never actually answers me. It's frustrating._

_AHH. I'm currently in the middle of Hama's ice sculpture. Right now she kind of looks ridiculous, but that's only because I'm barely half way finished. There's been…a little bit of an uproar about it. No waterbending woman has even been honored like this before, at least not for fighting. Especially since she was killed here. I think it's ruffling a lot of feathers and you know what? I don't care. Hama was an incredible bender and she taught me everything I know about my element. She __deserves__ this honor. Not Pakku, not Chief Arnook. Her, Hama. A lot of the girls from my waterbending class (and their mothers!) are cheering me on and it feels good. It feels really good. I feel like I have a support system here. I just can't wait until this sculpture is completed. When it's finished you should come and see it. Also, speaking of my waterbending class you should stop being paranoid. It's doing fine, better than fine actually. Some of the girls are really close to mastering. I'm really proud. I think that after they master I'm going to try to hold a little ceremony for them. They'd really love that, I think._

_Okay, just because Avatar Aang is an air monk and has certain ideals that you find strange doesn't mean that his spirituality is "mumbo jumbo". Maybe you should ask him to tell you about it? Ha, maybe you'll be "enlightened". An enlightened Zuko, how fun. You and the Avatar should come back here! If anyone would appreciate Hama's sculpture it's the Avatar. He'd probably make the unveiling of it go a little smoother as well._

_Tell me you're coming to see me soon! Please?_

_Miss you more than words can say,_

_Katara_

* * *

><p>"Sang! No!"<p>

Ke Ke runs giggling around the gardens, Sang trotting passively along behind her. Suddenly the little girl whirls around and flings herself at the wolf. Sang sits down on his haunches and lets the girl tug at his ears, pull on his tail, and attempt to climb on his back.

After a few moments Sang licks Ke Ke's face and the little girl squeals, "Ew!" but throws her arms around the wolf's neck anyway.

Zuko, leaning against a tree a little ways off, smiles to himself.

"That wolf is very good with her."

Zuko turns his head to the side, slightly startled, to see his mother standing next to him. There are a few wrinkles around her eyes and mouth, and there are some streaks of gray in her hair, but Zuko still thinks she's lovely.

"He is."

"_Aunt Ursa!_" Ke Ke is waving enthusiastically, but before she can make her way over to them Sang gently takes the edge of her tunic and gives a gentle tug. There's an explosion of laughter from the little girl and her attention is immediately back on the wolf.

Ursa grins in Ke Ke's direction before turning back to her son. "I haven't seen much of you since you've been back home. It's like you're _trying _to be a stranger." She gives him a knowing smile and gently pushes against his shoulder.

Zuko sighs, slightly guilty. "Sorry, mom. I've just had a lot on my mind." He remembers what Azula said. "There's nothing to worry about."

Ursa reaches up and attempts to make some of his hair lay flat, an impossible feat. "Oh Zuko, I'm your mother. I _always _worry." She pulls her hand back and gives him a questioning look. "How's Katara? Azula told me you got another letter from her."

Zuko looks down at the grass. "She's doing fine. She'd probably love to hear from you, you know."

Ursa looks pleasantly surprised. "Really?"

"Sure. You were sort of a mother figure to her after…"

Ursa nods, understanding, before placing her hands behind her back. She gazes at Ke Ke fondly. "It's so nice to have children around the palace again. I had missed it." She peeks at Zuko out of the corner of her eye. "Speaking of small children, do you think you'll ever—"

"_Mom_," Zuko huffs. "I don't really see that sort of thing in my future."

Ursa nearly pouts, reminding him almost of his Uncle Iroh when he's run out of tea. "Well, I sincerely hope you change your mind. I want grand babies."

"Ask Azula."

Ursa barks out a laugh before she sighs. "Azula would make an…interesting mother."

Zuko smiles. He and his mother stand at the tree for quite some time, just watching Ke Ke play with Sang.

Finally Zuko asks something that was in the back of his mind. "Mom?"

Ursa tilts her head in his direction. "Hmm?"

Zuko furrows his eyebrows, unsure how to phrase his question. "Do you think Ozai was the way he was because he loved all of the wrong things?"

For a moment Ursa looks completely taken aback, then she's shaking her head sadly.

"Your father put emphasize on things that in the long run were not important. Why are you asking me this?"

Zuko frowns, turns his head away and shifts his weight from one foot to the other. "Sometimes…sometimes I think I love the wrong things too. Or put emphasis on the wrong things."

Ursa surprises him. She rolls her eyes. "Zuko, you love a _person_. She is not a _wrong _thing to love." She gently takes Zuko's chin in her hand. "Look at me. You're young. You've been through a lot, and I think right now you don't really know where you're going. And you know what? That's _okay_. It's okay to be confused, and Zuko you have the luxury of having the time to sort out your problems. Other people can't afford that. Like Katara. She was thrown into her duties before she was old enough to really know what she _wanted _out of life. Appreciate what you have."

She lets go of his chin and takes a step back. "Well, I'm going to go lie down for the afternoon. Tell Katara that I miss her and hope she's doing well. She should come visit us soon!"

Zuko watches his mother walk away before an excited bark and a rush of giggling redirects his attention.

* * *

><p>Zuko knows the Avatar has arrived by the sheer amount of servants scurrying about the palace. Zuko then makes it a point to disappear into the market place for the rest of the day.<p>

There are hanging crystals for sale along the archway of the stall and Zuko delicately fingers a blue one. It looks like something Katara would like. He pulls it off the hook its on, fishes in his pocket for coins and quietly pays the vendor.

"Prince Zuko!"

He cringes, not because he recognizes the voice (which he does), but because the owner of the voice has used his title when he had been wanting to remain anonymous.

He turns around and forces a smile on his face. "Avatar Aang," he greets.

The old man moves forward and sweeps Zuko into a happy hug before he can protest.

"And how is my favorite apprentice?"

Zuko can't help but smile at this. "Fine."

"Wonderful!" The Avatar gestures to the crystal trinket Zuko has clutched in his hand. "Something lovely to bring with you on your travels?"

"Uh, actually, it's…um—"

The Avatar beams up at him knowingly, his wispy little chin-beard moving in the wind. "Ah, I see. I know a certain young woman currently residing in the North Pole who would _love _something like that!" Then the Avatar is walking forward, nodding and waving to citizens who notice him.

Zuko follows, blushing slightly. The Avatar always knows.

Zuko and Avatar Aang spend the next couple of hours mingling amongst the common people, something that Zuko had never understood the benefits of doing until just recently. Sometimes the Avatar will give a bending demonstration, or get on an air scooter and zoom around a gathering of children, making them laugh. Occasionally people who are clearly upset will walk up to him, seeking advice or comfort. He always pulls them aside and talks to them one-on-one before they smile and walk away.

Sometimes Zuko wonders why a man like the Avatar lets a boy like Zuko follow him all over the world.

Eventually the throngs of people that have constantly surrounded the Avatar die down as evening sets in. Zuko and Avatar Aang walk side by side.

"Katara is building a statue in honor of Hama, her old waterbending master."

The Avatar visibly brightens. "Oh, what a wonderful idea! Do you know how it's coming along?"

"In her latest letter she said she was nearing the halfway mark." Zuko pauses. "She was hoping we'd come to the North Pole when she completes it, for the unveiling."

The Avatar beams. "That would most certainly be an event I would be interested in going to. It's about time for another visit to the North Pole, don't you think?"

Zuko shrugs. "I suppose."

The Avatar casts him a knowing look but doesn't say anything else.

"Avatar," Zuko begins. "I have a question…"

The Avatar smiles. "I'm quite fond of those."

"I was just curious if you ever… I mean, when you were young did you ever…love someone?"

"Love someone? Yes, I did." Avatar Aang's eyes take on a faraway look and his smile fades slightly. "A long time ago."

"Did you marry them?"

The Avatar looks over at Zuko and grins. "Prince Zuko, I am a monk."

"Oh. Right."

Avatar Aang chuckles. "There have been plenty of Avatars in the past who have found significant others and married, but I wanted to honor my culture and our traditions. Besides, being the Avatar meant that I had to make sacrifices. Making sure the four nations co-resided in peace was more imperative than any earthly treasure that I might have deemed important."

Zuko glances up at the setting sun. "But doesn't it upset you? That you have to constantly put others before yourself?"

"Upset me? My boy, if anything it elates me. I've found in my many years on this earth that I quite like helping others. Being the Avatar is not an easy feat, but I seem to have a knack for it, if I do say so myself."

Zuko frowns. "But you never get to be selfish."

"I don't mind. Putting others before myself is what is most important to me. Tell me, Prince Zuko, what is most important to _you_?"

A face pops into his mind. Zuko shakes his head. "It's too selfish."

"Ahh! But _you _can be selfish! You are not the Avatar." Avatar Aang ponders for a moment before continuing. "I have served my purpose as the Avatar all of my life and will continue to do so until I am called back to the Spirit World. You, Prince Zuko, can do many things. It is up to you to determine whether or not they will be great, whether or not they will fulfill you."

"I thought I _was _doing a great thing."

The Avatar smiles. "Do not get me wrong, Prince Zuko. I quite appreciate your service. Your insistent self deprecation, sarcasm, and angst balance well with my overall cheerful demeanor."

Zuko blinks. "I'm not sure if you're joking."

"Prince Zuko, while we were walking I saw a stall that was selling Water Tribe cuisine! I do not know about you but I am in the mood for some delicious smoked seaweed and ice pops. And you can continue to avoid your least favorite food, the sea prune!"

"What does that have to do with what we were talking about?"

The Avatar is already turning back around. "It has nothing to do with what we were talking about. But since we'll be going to the North Pole for the unveiling of Katara's sculpture, I've found myself in the mood for the Water Tribe's trademark salty cuisine!"

"You go ahead."

The Avatar looks back at Zuko over his shoulder. "Oh?"

Zuko smiles and tucks the crystal trinket into his pocket. "I have a letter I need to reply to."

* * *

><p><em>Katara—<em>

_You really can't blame mom. Going off of the illustrations of polar dogs that are in the library, they do look pretty intimidating. Speaking of mom, you should write a letter to her and let her know how you are (if she hasn't written to you already). I think she'd really love that. She misses you and mentions you a lot. And yes, the dolls are holding up just fine. Yours looks basically the same as it did when you first made it. You're good at sewing. Congratulations._

_I'll have you know that women are crazy. Your entire gender dedicates itself to consistently confusing innocent men like me on a constant basis. You all get a sick enjoyment out of it as well. And yes, all of my major life problems __do__ stem from feminine things that I do not understand. Just try and prove me wrong. Just try._

_I hope by the time this letter reaches you that you're not still sick. If you are then get lots of sleep, drink lots of water, and tell the rest of the tribe to leave you be while you get better. I know you won't actually do any of this, since you're Katara, but still. And no, I never mentioned Sokka to Azula. If she told you that I did then she's lying._

_Speaking of Sokka, constantly asking him about his feelings isn't going to make him tell you about them any faster. Like I said, he's probably just feeling the pressure. And Katara, there is the chance that he's not one hundred percent happy. As long as he's doing something that he has deemed important then it's really none of our business to pester him about it. My advice right now is to leave it be. If he wants to tell you about what's going on then he'll tell you. I'd ask you not to worry about it, but I know you will no matter what I say._

_I think this whole sculpture thing is really awesome, and so does the Avatar. I told him about what you're doing and he's pretty dead set on coming up there for the unveiling. He can't wait to see it. Personally, neither can I, but I hope people in the tribe aren't giving you too hard of a time. I don't ever want to see you get hurt over something like a sculpture. I don't know what I'd do, so be careful. And if anyone threatens you, you have all the permission in the world to kick their ass. _

_What's the time frame for this sculpture? Do you have any idea when you'll be done with it? We're heading out soon, so send your reply to the Western Air Temple. _

_I know you miss me. I miss you._

_Zuko_

_P.S. The Avatar told me to be selfish and to go after the thing that's most important to me. I think I might. Your thoughts?_

* * *

><p><strong>AN #2:**

**Reasons Why This Update Was Late:**

**-I moved.**

**-I wrote an installment for audreyii-fic's **_**The Sparrowkeet Series, **_**which you all should be reading by the way.**

**-Multiple friends came into town.**

**-I wrote a little ficlet for **_**The Vampire Diaries **_**called "Color". It's Jeremy/Anna. If you like TVD I hope you check it out.**

**-I found out that I'm going to be an aunt! (Okay, not really a reason as to why this chapter took forever, but I'm excited and wanted to share.) :D**

**-Did I mention that I moved? 'Cause yeah.**

**Those of you who have ever followed any of my other multi-chaptered stories knows that it _never_ takes this long for me to update. I feel really bad about this delay, and I promise you won't have to wait three weeks for the next update. :(**

**Lots of thought provoking yet not so fun stuff in this chapter. And it's sort of necessarily slow. And yeah, no actual Katara D: I'm horrible. The next chapter is crazy and chock full of actual events though JUST SO YOU KNOW. So stick around!**

**I'm not expecting a whole lot of reviews, simply because it's been so long since the last update, but I really hope you guys let me know your thoughts, even if you didn't think it was that great. I love you guys. And thanks for all the birthday wishes! I did have fun :D**

**Review please!**


	21. Twenty and Twenty Two, five months later

"So, which one do you think is best?"

Kamik lays out three different stones on top of Katara's desk, each the same standard size but different color variations. She picks up and looks over each one.

"I think they're all pretty." She smiles up at him.

He blinks down at her. "That's not remotely helpful."

Katara narrows her eyes and shrugs, irritated. "Well, I don't know, Kamik. I'm not familiar with your girlfriend's taste." She traces her fingers over all three stones. One is a rich, ocean blue, another is a sky blue with a pinkish tent, and the third is a pretty purple.

"She likes blue."

"Then carve into the first blue one and give it to her."

"But _everyone _has a blue necklace."

"Kamik, if she likes blue and you happen to have a pretty blue stone, then you carve into the pretty blue stone and _give it to her_."

Kamik huffs but picks up the blue stone anyway. "So much for trying to be unique."

Katara rolls her eyes at this. "It's what's carved on the stone that matters anyway. Dope."

"Yeah, yeah." He starts to pocket the other two stones.

"Wait," Katara shoots out her hand and grabs the purple stone before Kamik can take it. "I like this one…" She tilts her head up and gives him a pleading look.

"Oh, keep it."

Smiling, Katara places the purple stone on top of a few unfinished letters sitting at the corner of her desk.

The stone catches the candlelight quite nicely, she thinks.

* * *

><p>Hama's nose looks funny.<p>

Not that Katara's hasn't tried to fix it, she has. She's melted and re-frozen the ice dozens of times in order to make Hama's nose look perfect, but it's just not working.

Huffing, Katara lets out a sharp squeal of frustration and with a wave of her hand melts away Hama's nose again. In doing so, she accidently melts away some of Hama's flawlessly sculpted cheek as well.

Steam nearly comes out of Katara's ears. Ice sculpting is _much _harder then she would have thought it would be. She spent nearly a month sketching out just on _paper _how Hama's sculpture would look. _A month. _And the actual sculpting process has taken nearly three months.

She had told Zuko and the Avatar that it would take her about five months to finish everything, given the sheer mass of the sculpture and the fact that she was doing it all by herself. Which meant that, in one month's time, they would be _here. _In the North Pole. Looking at her sculpture.

She sighs. She still has a lot of work to do. Sticking out the tip of her tongue in concentration, she gathers water around the area that's supposed to be Hama's nose and freezes it onto ice. Then she starts to mold and shape the ice, cutting off any excess with waterbending.

She ignores the giggles coming from behind her, indicating that some of her students are watching. They think that watching their waterbending master be bested by a sculpture is just _hilarious._

* * *

><p>She picks up a slab of dried seal meat for Nukka on her way back to her home. Hama's nose still doesn't look right, but she still has tomorrow. And the day after that.<p>

As soon as she steps through the door she feels it; something isn't right.

There's a whine and Katara glances over to the large pile of furs in the corner. Nukka struggles to her feet, but her legs shake beneath her with the effort. There's another whine of pain.

Katara drops the seal meat onto the floor and rushes over to her wolf. She strokes Nukka's neck and back in an attempt to soothe her. The wolf shudders and leans into her for support.

Katara can feel the knots underneath Nukka's fur that come with old age. She can see the streaks of pure white around Nukka's muzzle. The wolf's intelligent eyes have been growing cloudy for some time now.

And then those cloudy, intelligent eyes are on her, telling her something that Katara doesn't want to accept.

Tears fill Katara's eyes quickly and she gently pulls her companion into her chest and places her head atop of Nukka's. Memories flash.

Nukka following her around the Southern Water Tribe and warding off any of the older kids who might have tried to bully her.

Nukka staying still as she cried into her neck after her mother died.

Nukka never leaving her side when she was at the Fire Nation palace for all of those summers and being the self appointed barrier between her and Zuko whenever they slept in the same bed.

Nukka only letting _her _touch her pups.

Nukka viciously growling at Jet the one time he had decided to yell at her.

Nukka quietly waiting outside of Zuko's door whenever she'd spend more _mature _nights with him. And then, after she would sneak back into her bedroom hours before dawn, Nukka would sit next to her and lick her cheek as she sobbed in self resentment.

Nukka happily scaring off all of the Northern Water Tribe men.

Nukka lying in the corner atop of her furs, listening to her rant out loud about everything.

Nukka lying under her desk and on top of her feet in order to keep them warm as she spent hours writing letters.

Just _Nukka._

Katara's chokes out a sob and helps Nukka lay back down on top of her furs.

"Whenever you're ready, I'll be here."

* * *

><p>Katara knows its time when she starts to hear the scratching against her door.<p>

She's up and out of her bed in an instant. Nukka is at the door looking steady on her feet. Katara opens it and follows her outside.

It's not snowy and the air is still. The city is still lit up with lights, but Nukka turns away from it all and begins to hobble in the direction of the outskirts of the city. Katara walks quietly behind her, ready to dart forward and catch the wolf if she starts to tip over or collapse.

And then, as they crest a small hill that looks out over the mountains of the tundra, Nukka slowly eases herself down into the snow. Katara sits beside her and stokes her head.

"I'm sorry we're not _home_."

The wolf lifts her head up and surveys Katara. Then, with great effort, she shuffles over to her human and rests her head on Katara's leg. She heaves a great sigh and closes her eyes, content.

Katara's tears fall into Nukka's black fur. "Thank you. Thank you for everything."

The wolf shifts slightly, eyes still closed, and Katara could swear that for a moment she was smiling.

She's gone by morning.

* * *

><p>The majority of the citizens of the Northern Water Tribe don't keep animal companions. Having an animal is more of a royal thing. Therefore Katara is basically alone in her misery.<p>

She buries the wolf. It seemed unfair to put her out to sea. Nukka had always preferred having snow under her paws. Katara cuts off a little bit of black fur from the wolf's tail and ties a ribbon around it for a keepsake. She finds a nice spot that has a lovely view of the land and, using her waterbending, uplifts the ice and snow to form a grave.

As she walks back through the streets towards her home, some of the tribal members give her funny looks. People don't bury their animals here. Actually, people here don't really bury anything.

Once she's inside (it's so cold now), she sits down at her make shift desk and writes a little note to Zuko. She'll send it off immediately.

He's the only one who will really understand, she thinks.

* * *

><p>The sculpture is finished, and just in the nick of time too. The Avatar has just now entered into the city.<p>

Hama's nose _still _looks funny, Katara thinks, but there isn't much she can do about it. She's probably just being a perfectionist anyway. In fact if Katara was truly being honest with herself she'd have to admit that the sculpture as a whole looks pretty amazing. The likeness the sculpture has to Hama is uncanny. The sculpture Hama is in waterbending stance with a fierce expression on her face. Katara even made sure to include intricate detail, like the beads Hama always wore in her hair and worn looking quality of her parka.

Katara likes to think that if Hama were alive to see it then she would have been proud.

There's a tug on Katara's pant leg. She looks down to see one of her youngest students peering up at her with excitement.

"Master Katara! The Avatar is in the main square!"

Nervous butterflies flutter in her belly. "Okay."

The first thing Katara notices about Zuko is that his hair has gotten obnoxiously long. As in, it's nearly touching his shoulders. Unacceptable. She'll have to do something about that later.

The second thing is that he's suspiciously hiding something inside his parka.

He walks up to her and she can see the hesitance on his face. "Hey."

She nods in return and bites her lip. The wind makes some of his hair flutter away from his face so that she can see his eyes clearly. They're watching her.

"How are you holding up?" he asks softly.

It's been a couple of weeks since she's lost Nukka, and the pain still throbs in her chest. "I've been better," she answers honestly. She looks away from his face for a moment and eyes the suspicious lump in his parka. It moves.

"Um, Zuko—"

Then he's shoving a white fluffy bundle into her arms.

"I—I know it's too soon. I know that. But I wasn't sure when I'd be able to see you again and Sang is still the best gift I've ever been given. And I just wanted to return the favor. Give you a friend when I can't be here for you and all."

The white bundle turns its head and peers up at Katara with calm yellow eyes. Its fur is remarkably soft underneath her hands.

She looks back up at Zuko and blinks. "It's a cat."

Zuko nods. He crosses his arms for a moment before uncrossing them and putting them on his hips, clearly nervous. "Actually it's a tiger lily cub. They, well, they absorb warmth and fire so I figured he'd do well—it's a he, by the way—in this climate. And he'll be roughly twice the size of your average wolf."

Katara looks back down at her tiger lily. He yawns and snuggles into her chest.

"They're actually sort of rare," Zuko continues, and Katara catches the nervous tremor in his voice. "Um, the Capitol Zoo might be missing one, also."

She jerks her head back up. "You _stole _a baby tiger lily from the zoo?"

"Yes," he says, voice barely audible. "But he was already weaned from his mother! And when I snuck into his cage he came to me. It was like he _wanted _to go on an adventure!" He sighs and looks down at the snow. "And I couldn't stop thinking about you giving me Sang, and how I'm going to feel when he goes and I just—"

Katara cuts him off by closing the distance between them and slipping one arm around his neck, pulling him into a hug. Zuko's hands settle at a respectable place on her waist and she can feel the heat from them seeping into her skin. The tiger lily (she'd have to think of a name) squirms and lets out a happy noise, appreciating the new warmth.

"I see that Katara has been given her gift!"

Katara and Zuko break apart, albeit reluctantly.

The Avatar stands near them, beaming. "A remarkable gift for a remarkable young woman."

Katara's smile fades into a thoughtful frown. "You knew Zuko snuck into a zoo and stole an animal? A _rare _animal at that?"

The Avatar continues to beam. "Of course I did! I distracted the guards!"

* * *

><p>Katara almost names her new tiger lily 'Cuddles'. It would have been a very accurate name.<p>

Instead she names him Tomkin.

"What's that mean?" Zuko asks, watching as Katara lowers Tomkin onto a few furs by the fireplace in her home. Tomkin arches his back before turning in a few circles and lying down. He flicks his large, bushy tail out before wrapping it around his body. Katara can hear him purring.

"Awww," she coos, feeling as if she could melt into the floor.

"So you like him, then?" It takes Katara a moment to realize that Zuko has started to watch _her _and she feels herself blushing under his gaze. She straightens up and nods.

"He's adorable," she answers, grinning. She looks back down at the feline. "And Tomkin…I think its meaning has something to do with the Spirits. I can't quite remember what it means, exactly. I just remember hearing it occasionally when I was little and liking it a lot." She shrugs one shoulder and resists the urge to reach out and start stroking Tomkin. He just looks so cute.

She sees Zuko nodding out of her peripheral vision and turns back to face him. "You really didn't have to steal him from a zoo, though. Especially since he's so rare."

Zuko looks her right in the eye. "It was worth it. Besides, I still owed you for Sang."

Katara furrows her brows. "Where is Sang, anyway?"

Zuko freezes and then his eyes go wide. He quickly looks around Katara's one room house, thinking that Sang might be hidden in a corner. Then he looks back at Katara, panic clearly written on his face. "He must have snuck off while I was giving you Tomkin. I—I guess I got distracted." He turns and is out the door, Katara on his heels.

After ten minutes of searching Zuko spots him up on a hill. Katara's breath catches when she realizes exactly which hill it is.

"Sang!" Zuko calls, dashing up the snow covered hill to kneel where his wolf is lying down. Sang lifts his head and acknowledges his master. After a moment of hesitation Zuko attempts to move him, but the wolf doesn't budge.

When Katara reaches them Zuko gives her a fearful look. "Do you think he's sick?"

Katara shakes her head. "No."

Zuko frowns and runs his fingers through the fur on Sang's neck.

"Nukka is buried here," Katara says quietly.

Zuko stills before slowly raising his head to look at her. She can see that he understands.

"I guess we all need time to mourn. Even wolves."

* * *

><p>The next day, the day before the unveiling of Hama's sculpture, Katara finds herself wondering if her relationship with Zuko will always be different from one visit to the next.<p>

Because it feels different this time, not at all like last time, for which she is grateful. She decides to chalk it up to their letters. Perhaps deciding to be friends was good for them after all.

But there are still some things that don't feel quite right. Like how at lunch when their knees brush Zuko makes a point to scoot a couple of inches away from her. Or when they're walking through the streets she notices how he never offers her his arm. When the wind catches her hair, causing it to fly about her face, he doesn't reach up and tuck some of the locks away.

Katara comes to realize that perhaps this is the price of friendship.

* * *

><p>"I'm going to bed. I miss Tomkin."<p>

"You just checked on him half an hour ago."

"So? He's still little. I want to be there for him."

"And cuddle him."

"That too. Goodnight, Zuko."

"Goodnight, Katara."

"By the way, tomorrow I'm giving you a haircut."

"What? Why?"

"Because it's ridiculous. You haven't kept it long for _years_."

"Well, maybe I'm thinking of growing it out again. I don't know…I kind of like it."

"Zuko."

"It's been keeping my neck warm."

"_Zuko_."

"Fine."

"Trust me, you'll appreciate it. You'll look handsome."

"Oh."

"I mean, y-you're always handsome! It's just—"

"It's okay."

"No, you do always look good to me Zuko. I… You know what? Forget the haircut. Goodnight!"

"Katara, the haircut is fine—"

"'Night!"

* * *

><p>Shouts and an orange glow that peeks through her window awaken her. She flings her furs off of her, grabs her boots and her parka and rushes out of her house.<p>

She sees quite a few of her students, all in their night clothes and panicking, running towards the training center. Katara's heart sinks.

She sprints after the crowd, already having a hunch as to what's going on. And then she sees it.

A group of men have taken lit torches and have held it up to Hama's sculpture. Water runs down Hama's melting face and body and drips into the snow.

Katara's lips part, but she can't find the voice to speak. She's too stunned.

The group of men (there are only a few) shout horrible things, nasty things, and Katara starts to rapidly blink away the tears forming in her eyes.

One of the worst things is that some of her students are seeing this.

The flames from their torches flicker up to the night sky and, feeling nauseated, Katara begins to turn around, unable to watch anymore.

Then a blur flies past her and someone brushes against her shoulder. Just like that the flames snuff out.

A moment later the fire in Zuko's palm reveals his face. Katara can see a few of the men start to back away, anxious that the Avatar's apprentice and a Prince has caught them committing a crime.

"I suggest," the men freeze at the low, incensed quality in Zuko's voice, "that you stay where you are." The fury on his face sends a shiver down Katara's spine.

One of the youngest of the men rolls his eyes and drawls, "Or what?"

Zuko doesn't even say anything. He just tilts his head to the side so that his flame illuminates his scar, insinuating the shadows and making it look more gruesome then it actually is. A few of the men visibly gulp.

A moment later more torches come into view and Katara can see the Avatar walking toward them, followed by Chief Arnook and Master Pakku.

The Avatar looks very grave—a stark contrast to the happy old man that she had seen merely hours before. The small crowd parts to let the leaders through and suddenly Katara doesn't even want to be here anymore.

It's not just about the sculpture. It's about the fact that she's been here for _yea_rs now and even though progress has been made, it still feels as if all her hard work has blown away with the wind.

She stares listlessly at the ground, barely hearing the Avatar reprimanding the men, or seeing her students and their families walking up to her and giving support.

Then a warm hand gently grips her elbow and starts to guide her away from the commotion. It leads her to her house, opens her door, and pulls back her furs so that she can climb back into her bed.

"Thank you, Zuko," she whispers.

"Do you want me to stay?" He sits on the corner of her bed and looks at her, clearly worried.

"I'll be okay," she says to the ceiling. He stares at her for another moment, unconvinced, before nodding and standing up.

Katara, in her shocked state, doesn't notice Zuko hovering by her desk a little longer then is necessary before telling her he'd see her in the morning and walking out the door.

Before she falls asleep she feels something jump on top of her bed. Then Tomkin appears in her line of vision before settling himself in the crook of her arm, his massive paws that he's yet to grow into spreading across her shoulder. She can feel the vibrations of his purring rumbling against her ribs.

She falls asleep quickly.

* * *

><p>Day One (Post Hama Melting):<p>

Katara wakes up and slowly dresses, taking her time.

She's going to be a responsible adult this morning, she _is. _She fixes her hair so that she looks somewhat put together, straightens her shoulders and steps out the front door.

Snow and wind immediately hit her face so she turns on her heel and step back inside.

She had enough food to get her through the evening, so maybe she could stay inside the rest of the day. It sounded like a solid enough plan.

She discovers that if she takes some string and traces it along the floor that Tomkin leaps up from his place by the fire and scurries after it, intend on catching the string between his paws.

She doesn't notice that certain papers are missing from her desk.

* * *

><p>Day Two (Post Hama Melting):<p>

Katara takes Tomkin outside and lets him stalk around and play in the snow.

She notices with a frown that none of her students have stopped by to see her. For a moment this strikes her as odd, but in her muddled state she shrugs this off quickly.

She also notices that Zuko hasn't really come by either. This leaves a lasting, throbbing impression.

The Avatar, however, does come to see her when the sun starts to set. This is somewhat annoying, since Katara had been preparing to leave her house to go get dinner and attempt to check up on everyone.

"Don't worry, Katara. I have brought you dinner!" The Avatar lifts a lid off the small tray that had been tucked under his arm. Its sea prunes and ocean kumquats with a side of smoked seaweed.

Her mouth waters and Katara dives in, listening intently to the Avatar talk about how cuisine varies from country to country and how it's all different but delicious in its own way.

When the Avatar finishes his meal he sets a Fire Nation sealed letter down on her desk. At Katara's questioning look he grins. "It is a letter from Princess Ursa. Zuko had forgotten to give it to you, so has asked me to do it in his place."

Katara frowns. "Where _is _Zuko, anyway?"

The Avatar gives a melodramatic gasp and places his hand to his forehead. "Master Katara! I have been rendered with a sudden headache! I should probably retire for the evening."

It isn't until after the Avatar bids her goodnight and takes his leave that Katara realizes that he had managed to turn _food _into a lesson.

* * *

><p>Day Three (Post Hama Melting):<p>

"What do you _mean _I have to stay in here for the rest of the day?"

"I just… Katara, it's…you'll just have to trust me, okay?"

"But I had things I wanted to do today, Zuko! I need to look at the sculpture and fully assess the damage, I need to check up on my students since _none _of them have come by and I'm starting to worry, and I was going to see _you _since you've been noticeably absent for the past forty eight hours."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm feeling suspicious, Zuko! _Really _suspicious!"

"Trust me—"

"What are those sticking out of your pocket?"

"Hmm? Oh. Nothing. I'll just—I have to be somewhere—OW!"

"What are my Hama sketches doing in your pocket?"

"Um."

"Wait, are you…?"

"Bye!"

* * *

><p>Day Four (Post Hama Melting):<p>

Zuko comes and gets her mid-afternoon and Katara is so curious and anxious that she doesn't even make passive-aggressive jokes on his behalf.

She knows immediately that he's leading her towards the training center and her heart starts to pound. She starts walking a few steps ahead of him, suddenly excited.

There's a large crowd, a _really _large crowd, all surrounding the newly sculpted ice sculpture of Hama.

Katara gapes up at it in awe. She's vaguely aware of a few of her advanced students standing off to the side, looking utterly exhausted but pleased.

Her chest feels so full that for a moment she thinks that she might implode.

"Hama's nose looks _perfect_."

* * *

><p>"—your father always told me in his letters that you were a strong and talented young lady, and I must say that you have continued to prove that his words are nothing but the truth. I know that our tribes don't exactly see eye to eye on much, but we are both <em>water <em>and I think that it's…"

Katara had become disinterested in Chief Arnook's conversation some five minutes ago. But, because she herself is a Chief's daughter, she knows how important it is to listen to what the Chief has to say. And right now Chief Arnook is saying some very nice things to her.

She nods occasionally and sips her drink politely, every once in a while glancing over to where Zuko is standing off by himself some twenty feet away. So far he has mostly kept to himself—how very Zuko—but she notices him talking to people from time to time. All and all, he's making it somewhat difficult to give her full attention to Chief Arnook.

Arnook starts talking about all the progress she's helped make here in the North Pole and Katara reminds herself to smile. Then out of the corner of her eye she sees Princess Yue shyly make her way up to Zuko.

Katara decides to think nothing of it.

Now Arnook is talking about how wonderful it is that she has managed to bring the Avatar out to the North Pole when a visit from him wasn't technically due.

Katara spots Yue placing a hand on Zuko's arm and slide towards him (a little closer than necessary if you ask Katara).

Katara narrows her eyes and completely stops paying attention to Chief Arnook.

Zuko is subtly looking between Yue's arm and her face, clearly uncomfortable. Then Yue giggles and puts her hand over her mouth, blushing.

Now Zuko just looks confused. He nods his head at whatever she's saying and starts to glance around the room for an escape route. When his eyes meet Katara's they widen. He jerks his head in Yue's direction and then casts Katara a pointed look.

Katara smiles. Challenge accepted.

"Chief Arnook," she turns back and gives the Chief a somewhat disappointed smile. "I'm afraid I promised my friend I'd help him out with something."

Arnook looks surprised before nodding in understanding. "Sure thing, Master Katara."

And then she's off in Zuko's direction. She tries very hard not to glare at Yue as she walks up to them.

"Zuko!" she says with a little too much enthusiasm.

"Katara!" he says back.

Yue purses her lips and gives Katara a pointed look, which she instantly ignores.

"Um…Zuko."

He turns slightly so that he's facing her. "Hmm?"

"I'm supposed to give you a haircut, remember?"

His encouraging smile fades so quickly it's almost comical. His eyes narrow in irritation. "Right," he says tightly.

Katara grabs his hand and starts to pull him away. "Yep! Bye Yue!"

The princess just shakes her head and frowns.

* * *

><p>"I'd really appreciate it if you didn't accidently stab me with those scissors, or cut off <em>all <em>of my hair. Like your brother did."

Katara rolls her eyes from where she's bent over at Zuko's head. They're in her house and she's pulled up a chair for him to sit in. "I'm not going to stab you. And Sokka didn't cut off all of your hair. Besides, you had asked him too. And it looked kind of good." Her fingers brush over the warm skin of his neck and she feels him shudder.

"I think _this _style looks kind of good," he mutters.

She smiles and starts to run her fingers through his hair, trying to figure out the amount of inches she wants to cut off. She leans in toward his ear, assessing. "I'm afraid I'll have to disagree."

She notices his chest rising up quickly, as if she's made his breath catch.

"Fair enough." His voice is low.

As she starts to snip away with the scissors she notices that Zuko has become unusually quiet. When she says his name he jumps, as if he had been deep in thought.

"What're you thinking about?" she prompts, not liking the silence. It's too heavy, for some reason.

He sighs. "I was just…deciding."

"Deciding what?"

The corner of his mouth quirks in an almost smile. "You'll see."

For some reason this causes Katara's heart rate to quicken. She straightens up and bites her lip. "All done."

Zuko slowly stands, turns around, and faces her. Then with an uncharacteristically mischievous smile he whips his head back and forth, shaking his hair out as if he were a dog. It's sort of charming, Katara thinks.

She giggles and he smiles. She can clearly see his eyes, now.

He straightens and crosses his arms over his chest. He's _so attractive_, she thinks, and she hates the fact that she can't dart forward and kiss him like she really wants too.

Instead she flops down onto her bed and lets out what's supposed to be a tired sigh. Tomkin starts and looks up at her from where he's resting atop her pillow. He's probably shed all over it.

"Today was insane, but in a good way." She can feel his eyes on her but she doesn't look away from the ceiling. She's not really sure what to do. The last time they had been hanging out alone in her bedroom she had been too drunk to properly remember it.

She thinks that he'll probably go, since it's sort of late and she'd be willing to bet that he's tired. But to her utter shock he moves onto the bed and lies down beside her.

She sucks in a breath, feeling like her heart may beat out of her chest.

"Your students worked so hard to bring that sculpture back to life. It was pretty amazing." His voice is casual, but Katara can catch the nervous tremor in it.

She suddenly has the exhilarating and terrifying notion that whatever _this _is, that it's probably going to go somewhere.

She forces herself not to start shaking.

"I know you had a part in it too. You _did _take my Hama sketches, after all." She gulps when she feels his fingers gently nudging hers.

"I was only providing artistic direction." He's turned his head to face her; she can feel his warm breath across her cheek and neck.

"But…but…still." She can barely concentrate. What were they talking about again? She can't remember so she changes the subject. "I can't believe Princess Yue hit on you."

He lets out a low chuckle. "Neither can I."

Their fingers intertwine. Her eyes widen a bit and she swallows.

"Katara to the rescue," he continues. "It wouldn't have been the first awkward situation I've had with a girl in the North Pole, but still."

She catches the good-natured barb and her face splits into a grin. Then she bursts out laughing. She finally turns her head towards him and he's _close_, much closer then she had thought. The sides of their bodies are basically touching.

The laughter doesn't ease at this realization though. She curls towards him a little, resting her cheek against his shoulder and watching his chest go up and down as he laughs along with her.

And then he moves, so quickly he's almost a blur, and is posed over her, gaze intense.

She manages not to gasp, but a million different things cross her mind. Things they could _do_.

"Zuko?" she says, voice breathless. He hasn't really moved yet. Her heaving chest brushes up against his, and by the way his eyes flick downward and back to her face she knows he can feel it too.

"Would it be okay, Katara…would it be okay if I decided to be selfish?" His lips part and he starts to tilt his head towards her.

Katara panics. Mostly because she's confused. Not because she doesn't want to (she does), but because he'll be gone again in only a few days.

After what she did to him a few years ago, she reasons that she'd deserve the pain. But Zuko doesn't, and he never will.

She scoots out from under him before the situation can go any further.

She rolls out of the bed and takes a few steps back, all the while taking deep breaths to ease her racing heart.

Zuko is staring at her with a blank expression, but she can see his hand fisting into her furs. For a brief moment she hopes he doesn't set her bed on fire.

"Katara…"

"I-I'm sorry," she stutters, her thoughts scrambled. "I just, you leave in a few days and I don't…you don't deserve that."

He legitimately side-eyes her. "I was planning on staying, Katara."

Her shoulders slump. "Zuko, you can't stay here in the North Pole. You'd be miserable."

His eyes meet hers in a challenge. "Who says?"

She lets out a noise of frustration. "_I _say! _I _wouldn't even be here if I wasn't performing a duty for my tribe. And you don't deserve to be forced into living here just because—"

He rolls off of her bed and starts pulling on his boots. "Whatever. See you in a year, then."

Katara gapes, thrown off. "What?"

Zuko walks over to the door but stops before opening it. "I said that I'd see you in a year. Because it's obvious that for the time being we're going to keep up this bullshit charade wherein we pretend that we're just friends. Thing is, I've come to realize that you've been the most important person to me for the majority of my life, and that's probably not going to change anytime soon. Probably not ever, actually, if I'm being honest with myself. And I know you feel the same way. I _know _you do. But until you stop being _Katara_ and stop obsessing over dumb things that don't matter and _realize _that you still feel the same way then I'm going to have to wait, I guess. I figured that if I'm going to be selfish then I'll have to patient as well. So, yeah. See you in a year, like I said. And I really hope you've come to grips with everything by then."

Then he leaves.

He _leaves._

Katara's mouth falls open and she dashes to the door and yanks it open, fully intent on screaming at him for being such a presumptuous asshole—

But he's already managed to disappear.

* * *

><p>She doesn't see him off.<p>

Party because she's not sure what she'll do when she seems him (kiss him or kill him, one).

But mostly because she's still pissed that he said that she obsesses over things that don't matter.

Pfft.

* * *

><p>"And and, whodoes he think he <em>is<em> to toy with someone's emotions like that?"

Meow.

"It's not like I'm here in the North Pole on bloody _vacation!_ I'm here because I have to be! I mean, he can't even eat half the food we serve. He…he wouldn't be happy. And he _should _be happy, Tomkin!"

Mew.

"You think he meant what he said, though? About me being the most important thing?"

Purr.

"He is right about him being the most important thing to me. But I'm fully aware of that, thank you very much. That's, well, that's why I haven't done a lot of things, actually."

Purr purr.

"Besides…he…he's the Avatar's _apprentice_. He's destined to be a leader, and trust me Tomkin, he'll be a great leader for the Fire Nation one day. Once he pulls his head out of the snow, that is."

Meow purr.

"How can I in good conscience ask him to stay when he'd have to give up on all of that?"

Mew.

"You think that maybe I should have explained that part to him?"

Purr mew.

"You're right. He would have just rolled his eyes."

* * *

><p>Katara jumps from her position on the floor when someone starts to rapidly bang on her door. She pulls it openly sharply. "What is it?"<p>

Kamik practically falls on top of her. "Chief Arnook…!" he gasps, out of breath. "Has received… information…from the South Pole…regarding your brother…Sokka."

Fear grips Katara's throat. "What is it? Is he alright?"

Kamik nods vigorously, clutching at his chest. "Yes! But he has…stepped down from…his position…as future Chief of the Southern Water Tribe!"

"_What?_"

"He said that…there was someone…that _he had to throw dirt at_." Kamik nearly collapses onto the floor.

Katara sighs and shakes her head. "Azula will kill him."

* * *

><p>Everything is packed.<p>

Katara is leaving in the morning for the Southern Water Tribe. Now that Sokka has refused his birthright as Chief, the title passes to her.

She's not sure how she feels about this; it hasn't really fully set in yet. She does know that her latest conflict with Zuko has been rendered pointless, however. This only makes her feel bitter.

She does a once over around her tiny home in order to make sure that she hasn't left anything important behind. On top of her desk she spots a letter, tucked away in the corner. She frowns. It's the letter from Ursa.

She opens it, reads it, finishes it, and then starts to cry.

* * *

><p>Katara barely sleeps at all that night, but the few times she manages to nod off she dreams of a mother telling her son that a girl is not a wrong thing to love.<p>

* * *

><p>The sun has barely peaked over the horizon when Katara bangs on Kamik's door with more force then necessary.<p>

After a few minutes he finally opens it. "What do you want? You're not supposed to leave for another couple of hours."

She thrusts out her hand and reveals the purple stone sitting in her palm. "I want you to show me how to carve into this."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**Gee, I wonder what cheesy romantic gesture Katara is going to attempt to make with a Northern Water Tribe carved stone… *ponders***

**This chapter was a rollercoaster. I think we can all attest to that. Hope everyone enjoyed regardless!**

**(Also, awesome awkward lurkers should totally come out and review. 'Cause that'd be awesome. Just sayin'.)**

**:D**


	22. Twenty One and Twenty Three

"Zuko, I'm thoroughly disappointed in you."

Zuko nods.

"In fact, if I'm being honest, it's not just me who's disappointed. Mankind in general is frowning on you right now."

Zuko nods again.

"What you've chosen to do is morally, physically, and emotionally wrong. It literally goes against everything that is good in this universe and I personally find it a great concern that you've chosen to do this. But I have decided to help you overcome this enormous lapse in judgment."

Zuko has never seen Sokka so serious before.

"We've known each other for a long time," Sokka continues. "Practically forever, really. And you're more than just my friend, you're more like my brother, which is why I feel so personally invested in this."

Sokka leans forward and places his hands on his knees. "That bowl in your hand? I'm going to need you to set that to the side, because what's inside of it is literally offensive."

Zuko obeys.

"Good. Now, I'm going to hand you this piece of delicious, juicy, wonderful meat and you're going to put it in your mouth, chew it, and then swallow it."

Zuko is starting to lose his patience. "Sokka—"

"No no no no no. I'm going to need you to take this piece of delicious, juicy, wonderful meat, put it into your mouth, chew, and then swallow."

"_Sokka_—"

"No no no no no. I'm going to need you to—"

Zuko swats away the meat that Sokka is trying to hand him and picks his bowl of steamed vegetables and tofu back up. "I promised Avatar Aang that I wouldn't eat meat for six months, so _I'm not going to eat meat for six months_."

Sokka looks nauseated. "That goes against nature."

Zuko shrugs. "It hasn't been that big of a deal so far." He pokes at the tofu in his bowl with a chopstick. "I've had to get used to some of it, though."

Sokka blinks and stares. "There's something wrong with you." Then he rips into his meat and makes a point out of chewing and swallowing.

Zuko gestures to his bowl. "You want to try some?"

Sokka looks personally affronted. "_Excuse _me?" He makes a sweeping motion towards his stick of meat. "You're offering me _that_ when I have _this_? Spirits, I can't even look at you right now. I'm turning my head and looking in another direction."

Zuko just smiles and bites into a carrot.

* * *

><p>The Western Air Temple practically burns under the sun, which is why when Sokka suggests that he and Zuko leave for the evening, Zuko agrees.<p>

Sokka showed up a week ago and since has acted as if nothing is out of the ordinary. But Zuko knows that something is wrong, _really _wrong, but he waits patiently for Sokka to tell Zuko himself. Patience is one of the things that Zuko has started to pick up from the Avatar.

Sokka walks ahead of him.

"Where're we going?" Zuko asks, nodding his head politely at any air nomads that they pass.

"There's a pub nearby in the local village," Sokka calls to him from over his shoulder. "They make this drink—you have to try it."

Zuko nearly rolls his eyes. "When did you find this place?"

He sees Sokka shrug one shoulder. "The other day. You were doing something with Avatar Aang and I got bored." They continue walking. A young woman around their age walks past them and she smiles at Sokka, clearly seeking eye contact. He turns her head away and refuses to acknowledge her, causing her to blush in humiliation and awkwardly turn her head away.

Zuko frowns. He's going to kill Azula.

"Dude, Zuko, you have to try this."

Zuko looks down at the drink in his mug warily. It's golden and frothy. He's reminded of his past drinking experience with Sokka and is sorely tempted to set the mug aside.

Instead he takes a sip and nearly spits it back out. "Ugg, what _is _that?"

Sokka has already downed half his mug. "Its yeast-fermented malt flavored with hops." He urges Zuko to drink more. "It's refreshing."

Zuko blinks. "It tastes, looks, and smells like ostrich-horse piss."

The bartender glares at him.

* * *

><p><span>Sokka's Therapy Session with Zuko: Hour 1<span>

"Don't get me wrong, I understand your reasoning, but let's face the facts. The Blue Spirit would've been a thousand times cooler if he had used a boomerang as his main weapon instead of dual swords."

Zuko sips his water, having come to the realization that he'll be babysitting his friend tonight. For some reason this doesn't bother him as much as it should. "When you can back that argument up with logic then perhaps I'll take you seriously."

Sokka's blue eyes widen. "_What? _That is perfectly logical! Boomerangs are freaking awesome! You just throw it and it hits shit! But then it comes back!"

"Okay, but with dual swords you have the added advantage of not directly giving away your position. Plus, swords are deadly. Boomerangs really aren't that deadly."

"Have you ever been hit with a boomerang?"

"Not ex—"

"It's the bruise of the century, I'm telling you. But no, with a boomerang you just throw it and knock the person out, and you have time to get some shit done, man."

"Yeah, well, the Blue Spirit is stylish and classy with his broad swords. So there."

"Dude, whatever. Boomerangs look cooler. They're all…not straight. They curve. Hey, could you get us some more drinks?"

* * *

><p><span>Sokka's Therapy Session with Zuko: Hour 2<span>

Sokka is dancing.

To no music, mind.

But there are a couple of girls around him, so Zuko thinks that perhaps he'll just leave his friend alone for the time being. Maybe talking to other girls would be therapeutic for him.

Zuko leans against the counter at the bar and continues to sip his water, calmly people watching until it's time to drag a drunken Sokka back to the air temple.

Zuko snorts and smiles at the irony.

There's a clearing of a throat behind him and Zuko turns around to see the bartender looking at him intently.

He blinks, suddenly uncomfortable. "Yes?"

The bartender jerks his head towards Sokka. "Your friend over there, what's his status?"

Zuko frowns in confusion before bringing his cup back to his lips. "I'm sorry, status?"

The bartender gives an exasperated sigh. "You know, is your friend single?"

Zuko chokes on a mouthful of water and spends the next several moments hacking. The bartender just stares at him.

Zuko blinks rapidly in order to clear his watery eyes. "Uh, he's off the market," he squeaks, letting out another cough.

For a second the bartender looks crestfallen. Then he taps a finger against his chin, his gaze sweeping over Zuko thoughtfully. "What about you?"

Zuko quietly shuffles away from the bar.

* * *

><p><span>Sokka's Therapy Session with Zuko: Hour 3<span>

The night is warm. Sokka is leaning against the outside wall of the pub, clearly depressed.

But, considering everything that Sokka has had to drink tonight, Zuko is impressed that his buddy is still standing on his own and managing coherent sentences.

"She _rejected _me!" Sokka moans, his head falling back against the wall. "I told her about everything that I had done and she _rejected _me. And she called me an idiot for being unprofessional. I _am_ professional! I'm a professional guy!"

Zuko nods along like he's supposed to. "If it makes you feel any better, I was thoroughly rejected too. And not for the first time," he offers, shrugging.

At this Sokka bursts out laughing. "So true! And she rejected you while you were _in her bed!_"

Just the reminder of that moment burns.

Sokka continues to chuckle. "My sister is silly."

As it gets later and later, the clientele for this pub is getting sketchier and sketchier. "You ready to go?" Zuko asks.

"Let me finish my drink first," Sokka answers, looking down at his over halfway full mug. Then he burps. Loudly. He looks back up at Zuko and there's a hazy look in his eye. "Who am I gonna marry now?"

"There are plenty of ladies out there for you."

Sokka throws his arms out, his drink sloshing over the rim of his mug. "PLENTY OF LADIES!" He shakes his head. "I don't see any ladies, Zuko."

Oh yeah, Sokka is definitely not sober.

"They'll show themselves eventually."

"Naw. You'll probably get married before me, Zuko."

Zuko shakes his head. "Probably not."

Sokka looks befuddled. "Why do you say that?"

"Because the only person I'm ever going to marry is your sister, and she's kind of unreachable at the moment."

Sokka sways a bit on his feet. "And the only person she's going to marry is _you_. 'Cause you're the only one I approve of. If another guy comes into the picture…" Sokka stares at the ground for a moment. "I mean, I guess I'll have to kill him, obviously. For wanting my baby sister." He gazes at Zuko in earnest. "You'll help me get rid of the body, right?"

"Absolutely."

Sokka grins, relieved. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I'm so glad we share the same feelings."

* * *

><p><span>Sokka's Therapy Session with Zuko: Hour 4<span>

"Is that my bed?"

"You're in your bed, buddy."

"Awesome. I have to show you the lighter."

"Or you could go to sleep."

"My lighter _burns_."

"I bet it does."

"Lighter power swoosh!"

"I don't know what that means."

"To heck with it. And girls. To heck with lighters and girls."

"Agni, Sokka. Go the fuck to sleep."

"Ex-fucking-_cuse _you. Cursing is bad. It is a bad habit… To heck with girls."

"Yeah. To heck with them."

* * *

><p>Zuko is eating lunch with Avatar Aang when Sokka finally decides to grace them with his hung-over presence.<p>

The water tribesman gingerly lowers himself to the ground across from Zuko. "Not a word," he says, moving his hands up in order to rub at his temples.

"Good afternoon, Sokka!" the Avatar says cheerfully.

Sokka winces before glowering at the Avatar. "Can we please be—"

"And how are you feeling on this bright, sunny afternoon?" Avatar Aang continues, blinking innocently.

"I have a headache," Sokka grumbles.

"Well, yes," Avatar Aang says, "when one drinks copious amounts of alcohol, the brain is dehydrated, resulting in a headache. Oftentimes after a drunken evening, one will also experience a sensitivity to light and sound along with nausea. Also, grouchiness!" The Avatar offers Sokka his bowl and smiles brightly. "Tofu?"

Sokka moans and slowly stands back up. "I'm going back to bed."

As soon as Sokka moves out of sight Zuko turns and smirks at the Avatar.

"One shouldn't be amused by those who are suffering, Prince Zuko," the Avatar admonishes gravely. Then he winks at him.

Zuko glances down at his own bowl of rice and bits of tofu. He has a countdown going on for when he'll be able to eat meat again. Thirty-seven days.

He finally sets the bowl down. "Have _you _ever been drunk before, Avatar Aang?"

A very mischievous look crosses the Avatar's face. "Once in Ba Sing Se when I was quite young. I was eighteen and in the middle of my earthbender training. I don't remember much, just that I woke up the next morning with the hair shaven from my unmentionables—"

"And with that I think we should end this conversation."

* * *

><p>Zuko has become very good at masking his depression.<p>

He's not sure if this is a good or bad thing.

Each day he walks over to the messenger post at the air temple, and each day he returns to his room empty handed. Katara hasn't written to him in a couple of months. At first Zuko assumed that she was probably busy; he could only assume training to become Chief was a lot of hard work. But after her continued silence he was forced to come to several conclusions. She had either met someone, or now hated him for whatever reason.

Zuko figures that he'll leave for the Southern Water Tribe in a couple of months in order to check up on her, Avatar or no.

Zuko continues to write to Katara, of course, which could potentially be pathetic. Zuko prefers not to dwell on it.

Today, as Zuko walks to the messenger post to send off his letter and check to see if he's received one, he's feeling a little more depressed than usual.

Not that today has been very different then every other day. It hasn't. He has eaten breakfast with the Avatar, meditated, sparred with the Avatar, accompanied Sokka on a hunting trip even though he didn't actually kill anything (also, thirty-one days!), and later he would spend the evening continuing to "enjoy" the lifestyle of the air nomads and goofing off with his best friend.

And even though he _knows _that there won't be a letter for him, his heart still plummets when the messenger at the post shakes his head.

After all, today is his twenty-third birthday.

* * *

><p>At dinner Sokka and the Avatar try to surprise Zuko with cake. It's cute.<p>

"Happy birthday!" Sokka sings loudly and somewhat off-key. He and the Avatar grab each other and twirl around Zuko, who simply stares at his cake. The icing is blue. He suppresses a sigh. He doesn't handle the color blue all that well anymore.

He manages to laugh and shake his head for the sake of his friends.

The Avatar sits down beside him and gives him a happy smile. "Now, Prince Zuko, it is time for your birthday present."

Zuko straightens and gives the Avatar his full attention. Having had birthdays with the Avatar before, he knows what to expect.

The Avatar clears his throat. "Your worst enemy cannot harm you as much as your own unguarded thoughts."

Zuko bows his head in thanks.

Sokka is offended on Zuko's behalf. "_That _is your birthday gift to Zuko?"

Avatar Aang turns to Sokka, somewhat amused. "Wisdom is the greatest gift of all."

Sokka's mouth falls open, clearly affronted. "You gave him a sentence! A _sentence_."

"Its fine," Zuko says, trying hard not to laugh. Sokka seems genuinely upset. "What present are you giving me?"

And just like that Sokka's attention is averted. "Oh. Right. It won't be here until tomorrow. But it's about a million times more awesome than a _sentence_."

The Avatar stares at Zuko for a moment. "Would _you _like a pearl of wisdom, young Sokka? To enlighten your soul and broaden your mind?"

"Um, no. I have cake. But thanks."

* * *

><p>Zuko realizes he'll have to stay with the Avatar. If Katara doesn't ever write back, trips down to the Southern Water Tribe on "Avatar business" would always give him an excuse to see her.<p>

* * *

><p>The fire is dying, so Zuko thinks it might be time to go to bed. Sokka is already sprawled out on the temple floor, snoring loudly.<p>

Zuko makes to stand up, not sure if he should let his friend sleep or smack him upside the head in order to wake him up. Admittedly, the latter would be funnier.

But it ends up not mattering. Sokka makes the decision for him by mumbling himself awake.

"Lighters _are_ cool," he mutters before jerking up into a sitting position. "What? Who died?"

"You fell asleep." Zuko feels the corners of his lips quirk in an almost smile. "And no one died."

"Oh," Sokka says sleepily before failing to cover up a giant yawn. "That's a relief."

Zuko's eyebrows furrow with curiosity. "What's a lighter? You keep mentioning it."

Sokka rubs his temples. "Lighters…um. They're basically my greatest failure."

"That doesn't really answer my question."

Sokka groans and gives Zuko a flustered look. "It's this." He reaches inside his pocket and pulls out a small, square shaped contraption. It flashes silver in the waning firelight. And then, with a flick of his finger against the side of the contraption, a flame sprouts up at the top. "I made fire. Sort of."

Zuko stares at the flame, impressed. "That's pretty cool."

"Yeah, I know. All it took was a bit of fuel and some thoughtfulness on my part and bada-bing, I created something that would replace spark rocks and subtly boost the Southern Water Tribe's economy. If I managed to produce more and sell them, then firebenders, matches, and spark rocks would all be rendered useless on camping trips, and keeping warm on the tundra and such. But the most important thing is that cooking would be easier, obviously." There's a twinge of bitterness in his voice. With another flick of his finger the flame disappears and Sokka tucks the lighter back into his pocket.

Zuko stares at Sokka for a long moment before grinning. "That's seriously awesome, imagine selling—"

"Awesome?" Sokka shakes his head. "Yeah, try explaining that to my dad. He said I was concentrating more on making my lighter then I was on learning how to lead the tribe. Which was true, but still."

Zuko frowns. "But you left because of my—"

"Well, yeah, her too. Actually, mostly her. But there were a few other reasons, like the fact that I'm not one hundred percent convinced I would do a good job as Chief. Not as good of a job as Katara would do, anyway. She's always been better with people than me."

"I think you'd make a good Chief, Sokka," Zuko says softly, quietly surveying his friend.

Sokka sighs. "Thanks, but it's a little too late, now. I can't just show back up and demand to train for Chief again. I can't do that to Katara. Now I just have to… Errrmm. I feel funny." He clutches his stomach.

Zuko just chalks Sokka's discomfort up to his diet and drinking habits. "Well, if you feel lost and have no idea what to do with your life you can just do what I did. Be an apprentice to the Avatar."

Sokka gives him a hopeful look before he freezes, turns his head, and hurls.

Zuko grimaces.

* * *

><p>Sokka owes him <em>so much.<em>

_So. Fucking. Much._

Because Zuko cleaned up his friend's vomit. And what did Sokka do to repay him? He just threw up some more.

Now it's a little before dawn and Zuko _should _be sleeping but instead he's making his way to Sokka's room in order to make sure his fever has gone down. If it hasn't then Zuko is dragging him to the healer despite Sokka's guaranteed protests.

The door to Sokka's room is cracked open and Zuko moves forward in order to open it further when he hears the voice.

It's calm, lovely, and _soothing_—just like the water she bends.

Zuko steps right up to the opening and sees her. He grips the doorframe tightly.

Her back is turned to him, so he can't see her face, but she's _here._

"—been taking really good care of you," Katara says, sitting on the edge of her brother's bed.

"He won't stop bitching about cleaning up after me," Sokka mumbles and Zuko sees his form shift on his bed.

Katara laughs and Zuko's heart _races_.

"So you don't think he'll expect it? Me showing up?" There's excitement in her voice.

"Nope. He's been moping a lot lately, by the way. Thinks no one notices, but, uh, I've known him since I was two and he was three. I noticed." There's a coughing fit and Sokka moans. "Kill me now."

"At least it's just the flu. And you've had worse." Katara gently pats Sokka's foot. "Do you need anything? If not then I'm going to find Zuko."

"No. But hey, Katara, can I ask you something? And will you be totally honest with me?"

Zuko can't see her face, but he can bet Katara is frowning. "Sure," she answers.

"Am I an idiot?"

There's no underlying joke to the question, and Zuko realizes that Sokka is more confused than he had let on.

The long, chestnut hair cascading down Katara's back swishes as she shakes her head. "No, Sokka, I don't think you're an idiot."

There's a pause. Then: "You're just saying that because you're my sister."

"Not really. I understand and respect your decisions Sokka, and you're not an idiot for choosing to do something different than what everyone else expected out of you."

There's a sigh and a muffled 'thank you'. Katara moves to get up and Zuko backs away from the door, not wanting to be caught eavesdropping.

She steps out of the room and closes the door behind her, and when she spots him her eyes widen in astonishment.

Zuko quickly steps right up to her and kisses her before either of them can say anything stupid.

* * *

><p>A game of Hide and Giggle As We Make Our Way Back to Zuko's Room ensues. Well, Katara does most of the giggling, but Zuko can't stop beaming and stumbling over his own two feet, so there is that.<p>

It feels like hours before they finally reach his closed door, but Zuko doesn't mind because Katara is beside him.

And then, finally, they're alone, and Zuko doesn't even care about the fact that he should probably be angry with her for not writing him these past couple of months.

He reaches out and cups her face with one hand, pulls her close with the other. "It hasn't even been a year," he jokes, tracing her cheekbone with his thumb. His heart thunders in his chest.

She smiles but steps out of his hold. He gulps, memories flashing, and suddenly he is overcome with a sense of doubt.

Just because she was here…well, that didn't really mean much. And Zuko has always been good at jumping to conclusions.

"I have to give you something," she says, voice wavering in nervousness. "It's a birthday present. Well, not really, but sort of?"

The corner of Zuko's mouth quirks in an almost smirk. "Whatever you have, I don't think it's going to top the fact that you're _here_, Katara."

She smiles and blushes at this before shaking her head slightly. "It might." Then she reaches into her chest wrap (Zuko cocks an eyebrow at this) and pulls out a flashing purple stone—attached to a thin ribbon. She places it into his palm and then deliberately stares at the ground, beet red.

"Is that a…is this a necklace?" He stares down at the stone, beautiful swirls of color glinting inside. He falters slightly because he knows exactly what this means.

"Are you asking me to marry you?"

Now Katara is pale, _really _pale. "No! Well, maybe. I don't know! It's just that…what you said to me…and you're _mom_—"

"Aren't I supposed to propose?"

She sways slightly. "_No_. Girls can too. And I carved you a necklace, so there." Her breathing starts to become harsh and ragged, and she lets out a whimper.

"Katara?" Zuko moves forward and steadies her with a hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong? Katara, Katara look at me." Her knees start to buckle so he moves to pick her up, but she shoves him away.

"_Katara—"_

She shakes her head rapidly and Zuko can feel the panic rising in his throat.

Then she turns her head and vomits.

* * *

><p>"This is a special sap that we air nomads use to settle upset stomachs," Avatar Aang says kindly. He's sitting on the edge of Katara's (well, technically Zuko's) bed, a teacup in hand. "You will feel better after you drink it."<p>

Katara takes the cup and gives both the Avatar and Zuko bleary smiles. "Sokka and I have always gotten sick at the same time," she explains, bringing the cup to her lips and sipping.

Then she nearly spits it all back out.

"Z-Zuko, what are you letting him _feed _me?" she gasps, before forcing herself to swallow the sap actually in her mouth.

"It'll make you feel better," Zuko assures her from his spot next to her on the bed. Well, technically he is next to Tomkin. The massive feline is sprawled next to his owner on the bed, occasionally shooting the Avatar and Zuko withering looks.

Zuko sighs. _Cats._

"If you say so." Katara turns and snuggles up against Tomkin. Seconds later she's fast asleep.

"Impressive," Zuko says. "What kind of sap is that?"

"Oh, it's nothing much, really." Avatar Aang takes the cup from Katara's hand and sets it off to the side. "Let's just say it will make your almost-fiancé feel _very _good in the next couple of hours. I've given some to young Sokka as well."

Zuko immediately feels suspicious.

The Avatar turns to him, gray eyes bright. "Prince Zuko, I do feel that your time as my apprentice is coming to a close."

Even though he desperately wants to, Zuko feels uneasy confirming the Avatar's suspicions. In the blink of an eye everything could change, and probably not in his favor. Life has a funny way of doing that.

"I'm not sure—" he begins, but the Avatar cuts him off.

"I hope you do not take this the wrong way, Prince Zuko, but I am older then you and therefore much, much wiser. So once again I must assure you that I do not think you'll be my apprentice for much longer."

Zuko cannot stop himself from smiling at this.

"Your friend, however, is a different story."

Before he can stop himself, Zuko imagines Sokka in his place, traveling with the Avatar, listening to his wisdom, eating meals together, having the Avatar subtly get involved in his complicated romantic life…

Zuko outright laughs.

* * *

><p>"Zuko."<p>

"You're awake."

"Uh huh."

"Would you like some water or something to eat? Can I get you anything?"

"Can you get me a cloud?"

"…a what?"

"A cloud. I want to cuddle a cloud. They look so fluffy."

"Katara, why are you laughing hysterically?"

"'Cause they're just so fluffy looking!"

"Katara…"

"Imagine living on top of one. Oh! And I bet they taste good too."

"Katara."

"Tomkin would probably like it. He loves fluffy things. We should set up a fort on top of a cloud."

"You're high."

"Yes, the clouds are high."

"I'm going to _kill _Avatar Aang."

* * *

><p>While Katara rests Zuko watches Tomkin and Sang play together.<p>

Although it's more like watching Tomkin tolerate Sang as the wolf runs around him and wags his tail for his new friend.

A few minutes later both creatures are curled up together, Tomkin happily grooming his new friend's face while Sang slowly falls asleep.

It's probably not very manly to find two animals cuddling all that heartwarming, but Zuko can't help it. They're just too adorable.

* * *

><p>The first time Katara is coherent enough to register that Zuko is wearing her necklace around his neck, she cries.<p>

* * *

><p>The two water tribe siblings get better quickly.<p>

Today Katara is feeling well enough to help Zuko in preparing dinner.

"You've gotten good at cooking," she observes with a sly smile on her face.

He returns it, playfully bumping her hip with his. "Kind of, yeah."

She flat out grins. "I've always wanted a husband who can cook for me."

He catches her eye and for a moment Zuko wonders if it's healthy for his heart to be beating so fast.

Probably not.

But the moment starts to fade when Katara drops her smile and bites her lip. "Can I ask you something?"

Zuko nods and watches as she reaches up ad traces her fingertips along the purple stone. "You want to, right? To, um, get married?"

Zuko almost laughs at her uncertainty. He's reminded of what he said to Sokka, about the fact that he would never marry because he'd never marry anyone but _her. _He thinks that maybe he won't actually tell her this, though.

He decides to nod and presses a soft kiss against her forehead.

He feels her relax. "Good," she whispers. "Because that would have been awkward. I would have had to take your necklace back."

He chuckles. "You'd have to fight for it. Purple is my color, you know."

She giggles and shakes her head. But just like that she's back to nervously biting her lip. "Zuko, I was wondering if, if maybe we could wait awhile, though."

He pulls back a bit and looks down at her face. "Why?"

She grips the front of his shirt in two fists. "Well, it's just, I need to finish my training, and the people have to get used to you because you'll _technically _be Chief and—"

Zuko's mind reels. "I—what?"

"You'll be Chief—don't panic! It's just in title only! The Chief's Wife is always _the Chief's Wife_, even if she's the actual leader."

Zuko blinks. "That's dumb." His voice sounds much squeakier then he would prefer. He clears his throat.

"Tell me about it." Katara's blue eyes search his face apprehensively. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," he says, nodding quickly. "That's a good reason to wait, I guess."

"Well that, and I'm worried about Sokka _and _Azula. Her last letter was dismal, even more so than usual."

"That's because she's being an idiot about not letting her professional life and her love life merge." He widens his eyebrows at Katara. "Gee, reminds me of someone _else_…"

She smacks his shoulder. "Shut up. I'm on the right track now."

Zuko's eyes soften as he looks down at her. "I know."

She stands up on her toes and kisses a spot his jaw. He's about to tilt his head and kiss her properly on the mouth when she pulls away.

He grumbles under his breath.

"Stop that," she says. She catches his eye and gives him a mischievous look. It's worrying. "We have to do something about those two."

Her eyes narrow. "We have to be _sneaky._"

* * *

><p><strong>LOL, this chapter.<strong>

**FYI, Aang's pearl of wisdom for Zuko's birthday is a quote from Buddha. Bless you, Google.**

**I apologize for the delay in updating. I got a second job, so my writing time was more limited than usual. The next couple of updates should come quicker as I get used to my busier schedule. **

**Also, I suspect we only have two to four chapters of this story left. :( But at least we've **_**finally **_**reached happy!Zutara. So that's good, right?**

**And another thing, to those of you who are wondering what the hell happened between Azula and Sokka, your questions will be answered. I plan on writing a Sokka/Azula one-shot for this story. It'll mostly be a bunch of drabbles, mind.**

**Hope everyone enjoyed.**


	23. The Misadventures of Sokka & Avatar Aang

**A/N:**

**A second interlude for you.**

**I got bored and broke the norm. So this is from Sokka's POV. **

**:D :D :D**

* * *

><p>"So, this whole apprentice thing, what do I have to do again?"<p>

Zuko smiles at Sokka and gives him a small shrug. "Just follow Avatar Aang around and be his apprentice. Help him out with negotiations, work as a messenger, just assisting him in general, really."

Sokka nods slowly and chews on his meat stick thoughtfully. "So I'm basically his right hand man?"

Zuko blinks. "Also known as his apprentice.

"Right."

The two young men lapse into silence as they continue to eat their meals. Sokka is feeling pretty good today, despite the fact that he'll be leaving with the Avatar tomorrow, and his sister and her new fiancé are leaving for the South Pole the day after that.

It feels weird to not be returning home with them.

Sokka takes a bite of meat and hums happily at the juicy, one hundred percent deliciousness. Spirits, meat is awesome.

Zuko is going to regret giving up meat for six months. And the Avatar was just a weirdo for not eating meat. Ever.

They didn't know what they were _missing._

"When are you and my sister getting married, again?" Sokka asks after swallowing.

Zuko shrugs. "I don't know. She wants to wait a little bit, which I'm fine with, and we also have to, uh, plan a couple of things out first."

Sokka shifts slightly on the stone floor. "Plan stuff? Like what?"

Now Zuko looks distinctly uncomfortable. "Um. Just, you know. Stuff."

Sokka finishes his meat and tosses the stick to the side. "That was vague and unhelpful." He pauses, hoping Zuko will elaborate, but he doesn't.

Sokka stands up and brushes off his pants. "Right. Well, I'm off to sleep. By the way, if you knock up my baby sister before you two are married, then I'll cut off your balls and feed them to the Avatar's freaky little lemur thing. Got it?"

Zuko gulps.

* * *

><p>Sokka has only been traveling with the Avatar for a week but he's already miserable.<p>

He finds himself being mouthy and disrespectful. He wants to go home, back to the South Pole. He wants to find _her _and make her see what he sees. He wants to go to the Fire Nation, because that's where he got to be a kid. Sokka just wants to feel like a kid, he thinks.

Or maybe Sokka doesn't know what he wants.

The Avatar takes all of his sarcasm and foul moods in stride until one evening, when he proposes the oddest competition.

Sokka glances around him for the umpteenth time. He's never seen so many egg custards in one sitting before.

It's _amazing._

Of course, Sokka wonders where on earth the Avatar got all these custards, but that is beside the point

The Avatar sits across from him, looking giddy. "I don't know about you, young Sokka, but I am quite fond of egg custards. I was wondering, since you seem to have such pride in your bottomless appetite, if you would like to have a…contest."

Sokka quirks an eyebrow. "Contest?"

The Avatar smiles and nods. "Yes. We see who can consume the most egg custards in ten minutes time."

Sokka smirks. "Okay. I should warn you, Mr. Avatar, that I'm probably going to win this contest. No offense or anything, but I'm younger and I also happen to have a stomach of steel."

The Avatar's smile turns into a grin. "I appreciate your concern, young Sokka."

Sokka shrugs. "There could potentially be a tummy ache in your future. I'm just sayin'."

Seven minutes later Sokka is struggling on his eighth custard while the Avatar is happily finishing off his fourteenth. Sokka doesn't understand where he's _putting _it.

Sokka barely manages five more bites in the next three minutes.

"Time!" the Avatar calls, setting his half empty sixteenth custard to the side. He exaggerates counting the number of custards he's eaten versus the number of custards Sokka has eaten.

"Interesting," the Avatar muses. "I seem to have eaten more custards than you, young Sokka." He pats his stomach. "And no tummy ache!"

Sokka has a newfound respect for the Avatar, after that.

* * *

><p>Sokka scans over Zuko's latest letter and rolls his eyes.<p>

"Something wrong with my former apprentice?" Avatar Aang asks from across the campfire.

Sokka shakes his head. "He and Katara are having a fight, that's all."

The Avatar looks concerned. "I hope—"

Sokka waves his hand flippantly. "Don't worry about it. They'll just have hot make up sex and then move on with themselves ew ewwwwww ew ew mental image _ewwwwwwwwww_ _eww!_"

The Avatar is clearly amused. "Thinking before we speak is a fantastic habit to develop, young Sokka, for not only the sake of others, but for one's personal sanity as well."

Sokka rolls his eyes again.

* * *

><p>"What is <em>that?<em>" Sokka asks, staring up at the massive sky bison with apprehension.

The Avatar pats its snout lovingly. "This is Appa. He's been my companion for a long time. He's too old to travel with me now, but he is still my most trusted friend." Avatar Aang buries himself in Appa's fur in a hug, and Appa lowers his graying head, as if returning the embrace.

Sokka ignores the pang in his chest and continues to stare at the enormous animal. "So, he's not going to eat me?"

* * *

><p>The next day the Avatar gives him an owl-eagle, announcing that it's about time Sokka had an animal companion of his own.<p>

Sokka wonders how the Avatar _knew._

Sokka names the bird 'Lookout'.

* * *

><p>"The pain doesn't go away. It's there when I go to sleep and it's still there when I wake up. It's not fair."<p>

"Young Sokka, wounds to the heart are the ones that fester the most. There is no ointment or herb that can soothe away the pain that you speak of. Only time."

"Why can't it just hurry up and go away?"

"Because some people are born with patience, but others, like you, must be _taught _patience. But do not think yourself a lesser man because of it."

"I don't even know why I love her anyway. She's always been so…mean."

"They say that ladies are always mean to the boys the like. Besides, love can be a fickle thing. Sometimes we find ourselves loving people who, for whatever reason, aren't too concerned with loving us back."

"I just wish I had the answers."

"Sokka, I am the Avatar and even _I _don't have the answers."

* * *

><p>"<em>Please <em>don't make me do this," Sokka begs.

But the Avatar is unyielding.

"I'm _begging_ you."

The Avatar doesn't budge.

Sokka puts his chopsticks into his bowl, then quickly glances back up at the Avatar to see if he's changed his mind.

He hasn't.

Nearing tears, Sokka brings a bite of tofu to his mouth. And eats it.

He sets his bowl down and stares at Avatar Aang. "I want you to kill me in the foulest way possible."

Avatar Aang looks genuinely taken aback, but then he smiles. "Did you _like _it, young Sokka?" he asks, mischievous.

Sokka wants to die. "Maybe. And I hate you."

He has betrayed meat and must be punished for his sins.

* * *

><p>It's nearing the end of the year when they finally come.<p>

Sokka, along with the Avatar, assume that they're wedding invitations.

They're not. They're invitations for an engagement party to take place at the Fire Nation palace in two months time.

"Great," Sokka grumbles, already dreading it. _She _would be there.

But Avatar Aang merely grins. "I do love a good party."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**I'm going to be honest with you guys, I was pretty disappointed with the complete **_**lack **_**of reviews for the last chapter. I realize that everyone has their own lives, and with school and the holidays approaching I can understand why people are feeling less inclined to review. But I think what depresses me is that I'm still getting the same amount of hits— in fact more so—as chapters in the past, so the readership is still the same, but the review counts are declining. It's frustrating because as a writer I pull a lot of inspiration and motivation from what you guys have to say about each chapter, so when you don't say anything I feel **_**less **_**inspired and motivated. I will never be that writer that holds her chapters hostage until she gets the reviews she wants, because I write for myself more than anything, but that doesn't mean I don't value reviews any less. So please **_**please **_**review, guys. It really means the world to me.**

**Other than that, hope everyone liked this mini chapter. Also, I like Sokka. And review :DDD**


	24. Twenty Two and Twenty Four

Katara has missed a lot of things about the Fire Nation.

Like the weather. It's nice to see actual grass and not snow, for once. And the gardens. Katara has missed flowers.

She has also missed Fire Nation cuisine, as silly as that sounds, like dumplings and spicy noodles.

She has missed the _color. _Not that there isn't color in the Water Tribes, because there is. But the Fire Nation is _tropical_. There are plants and trees and beaches and _fruit. _Katara has _really _missed fresh fruit.

But in the end, Katara realizes that what she missed most about the Fire Nation were the people that she had left behind.

* * *

><p>Katara huffs in irritation and tosses the lip brush down on top of her vanity with more force than necessary.<p>

The paint on the tip smudges all over the countertop, making a mess. Katara sighs.

"Do you want _me_ to do it?"

Frowning slightly, Katara turns away from the mirror and raises an eyebrow at the person sitting on her bed. Suddenly it feels as if she's fifteen again, hanging out in her room with her friend.

"If you wouldn't mind."

Azula gets up from Katara's bed and crosses over to her, taking the lip brush from the countertop. She dabs her finger against the brush's tip before leaning over Katara and sweeping her now color tainted finger along Katara's lips.

The entire time Azula is shaking her head. "You know, this really isn't that hard. Don't spea—"

"I'm just _nervous_, okay?"

"And now you've got red paint on your teeth. How special."

Katara's eyes widen in panic before she grumbles and runs her tongue over her teeth. "I'm nervous," she repeats, looking down at her lap.

She's yet to even make an _attempt _at putting on the dress Ursa has selected for this evening. It's quite revolting, but Katara didn't have the heart to say "no".

Azula resumes dabbing at Katara's lips. "I don't see why. It's just Zuko. And it's not like you're getting _married_ tonight."

Katara nods slightly, deciding not to risk speaking again.

Azula finishes with Katara's lip paint and moves on to Katara's black paint without asking. This time she does use the brush, carefully swiping it above Katara's eyelashes.

Katara takes the moment to study the friend she hasn't seen in quite some time. There are bags underneath her eyes, but otherwise Azula looks fairly put together. She's wearing her armor and has a sword at her hip. Considering the dress that Katara will have to put on later, she's feeling pretty jealous of Azula's chosen attire.

There's something fiercely pretty about the Fire Nation princess. Her features are sharp, but Katara knew how they'd soften when something managed to make Azula smile.

It was a rare occasion, but still.

Katara straightens her shoulders and back. Tonight's plan _had _to work.

"There," Azula says briskly, lying own the black paint brush and moving back to sit on the edge of the bed. She stares at Katara's face for a moment, studying her handiwork. Nodding in satisfaction, she turns to what she had been doing before: inspecting her old arrows.

Letting out an explosive sigh, Katara turns and casts a distressed look at her dress hanging up near the dresser.

It's seriously _dreadful._

She stares at the ceiling for a moment, gathers her courage, and stands up. The sooner she puts it on, the sooner she can show it to Ursa and then get out of it.

There's a slight hiss. Katara turns and catches Azula sticking a bloodied fingertip in her mouth.

"Arrows are still sharp," Azula explains. She sounds thrilled.

"I don't see what you're going to need arrows for," Katara mutters. "It's just an engagement party."

Azula gives her a somewhat sadistic look. "Well, Sokka's going to be here, isn't he?"

* * *

><p>Azula is snickering. Continuously.<p>

Katara has put on her dress like a champion. She has left the safety of her room. She is about to appear in front of dozens of people dressed in what can only be described as a peacock-flamingo suit. Yet she is acting admirably.

But Azula won't stop _laughing._

Katara continues to put one foot in front of the other. "I don't see what is so funny."

"Then you must be blind."

Katara is about to turn around and snap at her friend when she hears two familiar male voices up ahead and around the corner. She grins.

Zuko and Sokka appear and they both freeze.

Zuko seems to have frozen because he sees what his fiancé is wearing. Sokka seems to have frozen because he sees the person standing behind his sister.

"Katara," Zuko finally addresses her before opening and closing his mouth several times, as if looking for something to say. "You…you look, um—"

Katara crosses her arms over her chest self-consciously. "Don't lie. It's awful. It has _ruffles._"

Zuko shakes his head. "I was going to say that everything looks beautiful when…it's on you…?"

Sokka smacks his forehead with his palm and Azula scoffs. "My brother, the romantic."

Zuko flushes and grumbles under his breath before shuffling his feet awkwardly. It makes Katara smile.

And then Azula is turning around and walking away without a word. A moment later Sokka does the same, making an excuse about meeting up with the Avatar.

Katara whirls on Zuko. "Your plan is a _disaster!_"

Zuko looks appalled at her accusation. "_My _plan? You're the one who swore up and down that the two of them would work everything out when they finally saw each other again!"

Katara huffs. "They haven't seen each other in years! I thought that they would at _least _be civil to each other!"

"Well, they _haven't _been civil, and my best friend and sister are miserable."

Both of their expressions sober.

Katara wishes that she could make her brother and best friend be happy. But Katara knows that people can only be happy if they allow themselves to be.

She sniffs and bites her bottom lip. She doesn't think that tonight is going to be very much fun anymore.

"Amateurs. The both of you."

Both Zuko and Katara stiffen and turn their heads to see a young woman leaning against the wall near them. She's dressed in lovely green robes, has a long, slick black pony tail draped over one shoulder, and is munching on an apple. Her milky-green eyes are her most piercing feature.

Katara remembers her from Lu Ten's wedding.

Toph takes another bite of her apple, chews, then swallows. "What I'm gathering from the full minute of conversation that I overheard, you're trying to get two people to either get together or get _back _together. Probably the latter. Am I right?"

Zuko only nods so Katara speaks. "Yes…"

"'Course I'm right. I'm assuming you both already tried the calm approach where neither of you technically interfere? Did it work?"

"No…"

"You bet your ass it didn't, because people are stubborn and people are _stupid_. They have too much pride and won't admit it when they're wrong, or when they need to make up with someone. That's why you have to give people _pushes._"

Katara blinks in confusion. "Uh, I'm not sure—"

"Have you used the jealousy approach?"

Zuko answers out loud this time. "No."

"All you do is send someone in to mercilessly flirt with Person A and Person B will get jealous and then there will be a fight and then they'll air some dirty laundry and then sparks will fly, perhaps literally, and then the next thing you know Person A and Person B are trying to create a Person C in an abandoned broom closet. You know, this really isn't that difficult to figure out. Like I said, amateurs."

Toph takes another bite of her apple.

Zuko and Katara's mouths are hanging open.

* * *

><p>"You know, when I provided you guys with my glorious intellect, I wasn't implying that you choose <em>me <em>to be your spy," Toph gripes, glaring at a spot around Katara's shoulder.

"Are you kidding me?" Zuko snaps back. "You practically volunteered."

"You keep telling yourself that, Princey."

Zuko, who had been fiddling with his sleeve, looks startled, then irritated. "_Princey?_"

But Katara puts a hand on each of her companion's shoulder and pushes them toward the ballroom. She can hear the rumble of people from where they're standing in the hallway.

"Come on. The sooner we get through this party the sooner I can get out of this dress."

Zuko takes a misstep, obviously distracted by a mental image, and Katara allows herself to feel smug for a brief moment.

The next few hours were going to be interesting.

* * *

><p>Ursa is crying.<p>

"You're just so _beautiful_," the Fire Princess proclaims, warm hands cupping Katara's face. "You're a vision to these sore eyes! My son is so very lucky to have you."

Katara decides that it feels weird to be fawned over like this.

"You just went and grew up when I wasn't looking," Ursa continues, gaze still misty. "Your mother would be so proud of who you've become."

Katara feels an overwhelming sense of gratitude wash over her. It makes her eyes burn and her throat feel tight. "You think so?" She can't help the hesitance in her voice.

Ursa smiles and pats her cheek. "I _know _so. She would've been so happy. She _is _happy."

And then both women start sniffling and suddenly Katara doesn't care so much about her dress.

* * *

><p>"I'm going to call you Auntie Kat-Kat."<p>

Zuko wasn't lying; Ke Ke really is adorable.

Katara tilts her head and looks down at the mischievous six year old princess. "Is that so?"

Ke Ke nods. "Yes. Because you're marrying Uncle Zukey, so you have to be an Auntie. And you and Uncle Zukey will get married and live happily ever after, because that's what happens when grownups get married and they love each other and stuff."

Ke Ke goes back to happily playing with her dolls, the dolls Katara and Zuko made what feels like a lifetime ago.

"Are you excited for the wedding?" Katara asks, gently running her fingers through the girl's silky black hair.

Ke Ke grins and nods eagerly. "Uncle Zukey says that I get to hold the flowers and that, and that I get to hand _you _the flowers, Auntie Kat-Kat."

Katara has no idea what this means but pretends as if she understands anyway.

"But, but do you want to know what I'm _really _excited for?"

"What are you excited for?"

Ke Ke bounces in enthusiasm. "Uncle Zukey says that my dolls can _finally _play kissy face!"

* * *

><p>"Avatar Aang, what an, um, interesting headpiece!" At this point Katara is just trying to be polite.<p>

Avatar Aang is wearing a preposterous hat. There are dozens of bells glued onto it and the Avatar's head jingles whenever he moves it.

The Avatar grins. "Isn't it delightful? Princess Ke Ke made it for me especially for this evening. I think it's quite festive."

"It's orange. And purple."

"A splendid color combination, don't you think?"

Katara nods, determined not to lie out loud.

"Might I say, young Katara, that your dress is absolutely _extraordinary_? I find myself dazzled by it."

"You and many others." Katara has to look at the Avatar's shoulder. If she looks at his head she'll giggle.

She glances around the open room that's packed full of people—most of them she doesn't even know. She hasn't seen Zuko in awhile, and she has no idea where her brother or Azula are.

"Avatar Aang, I was wondering if you knew where Sokka was?"

The Avatar taps his chin in thought. "A thought I saw him a little bit ago. He was drowning his sorrows over by the punch bowl. Refused to partake in singing a Fire Nation folk song with me and Fire Lord Iroh."

There's a loud crash and a stream of curses. Katara cringes.

Avatar Aang shakes his head and beams. His head tinkles. "One of my favorite things about young Sokka is that I never have to actively search for him! He always finds ways to make himself known."

* * *

><p>"Katara—hiccup—did you know that someone spiked this punch?"<p>

Sokka is drunk. So is Toph.

"I knew it was spiked!" the earthbender proclaims, swaying on her feet and clutching a half full cup of punch in one hand. "Because I'm the one who spiked it!"

Katara stares at them, growing angrier and angrier by the second. She grabs Toph by the elbow and jerks her to the side.

"What happened to _making Azula jealous?_"

"Yeah…about that…I don't know where she is. And Mister Sarcasm was getting mopey, so I decided to spice up the evening. I think that she might be around though, since I caught his heartbeat speeding up a couple of times."

"You can feel heartbeats?" Katara asks curiously, her anger temporarily forgotten.

"I'm awesome like that," Toph slurs.

Sokka grabs them both and spins them back around to face them. "Guys, guys…I feel like singing! Where's the Avatar and Fire Lord Iroh?"

Katara groans and then notices that _someone _has set Sokka's pant leg on fire.

* * *

><p>Not much later Katara finds Zuko in the gardens, leaning up against a tree.<p>

"Have you been out here this _whole time?_"

Her fiancé jumps at her tone, before he relaxes and shakes his head. Katara notices that he looks frazzled. "I just escaped," he says sheepishly before pushing off from the tree and making his way over to her.

"Me too," Katara says, moving forward and wrapping her arms around his waist, burying her face in his chest. "I had to deal with a drunken Sokka and your crying mother, although I didn't mind the latter all that much."

"Lu Ten and I got cornered by politicians and nobleman and they wouldn't stop harassing us." His voice rumbles in his chest, vibrating against Katara's cheek.

She tilts her head up and smiles at him. "That stinks." She leans up and presses a soft kiss on his mouth.

They're alone, so things escalate fairly quickly.

Soon Katara's back is against the grass and Zuko is propped up on an elbow at her side, kissing her shoulder and trailing a hand down to her hip.

Katara is certain she'll never _not _feel excited by the way he touches her. She's certain that he'll always make her feel like she's burning. She's certain that there's no way that she could give this up twice.

She's certain that this is _right._

"Love you," she whispers, and feels him still for a moment before renewing his movements with fervor.

"Love you too," he whispers back, breath ghosting over her skin. Katara turns her head, kisses him, smiles into his lips.

They don't speak any more after that, but they still manage to make promises that drift into the night sky.

* * *

><p>Katara awakens to sunlight on her face.<p>

It's too warm and she doesn't like it. Groaning, she rolls over and grumbles into the grass and dirt.

She brings her bare legs up to her chest. Then with a jolt of realization that her legs and other body parts are _bare _Katara quickly sits up, blinking.

Zuko is sitting against the tree, eating some grapes and watching her with contentment. Katara notices that he's at least wearing pants.

She glances down at herself. _Someone _has very kindly draped her dress from last night over her upper body, concealing all of her necessary bits.

She glowers at Zuko. "Why didn't you wake me up once you saw that I was essentially _naked?_"

Instead of answering, Zuko smirks devilishly at her and pops another grape into his mouth.

* * *

><p>Days pass.<p>

Katara thinks that maybe time goes faster now, and she's sure that's because she wishes it were going _slower._

She thinks it's because she's happy.

She thinks it's because most everyone is happy.

Most everyone except for two certain people.

* * *

><p>Katara knows her brother better then she knows most everyone. And it's not just because they're related. Katara knows that you can share blood with someone and still not know them. No, Katara thinks it's because they actually <em>talk <em>and _listen _to each other.

So when Sokka tells his sister that he's leaving the Fire Nation to continue his travels with the Avatar, Katara knows that something is wrong.

Katara has only seen her brother cry a handful of times. Once at their mother's funeral. Once when he got a fishhook stuck in his thumb. Once when he found out that Zuko's father had burned off half of his son's face. Once when he pulled his arm out of its socket while hunting. Once when she'd told him she was engaged.

And now.

"When's the wedding?" he asks, voice thick. He wipes at his eyes. Katara's pretty sure that he's not crying because he's leaving. They've both left the other plenty of times before.

"Sometime soon. I'll send you an invitation," she says, voice soft. Her eyes start to water against her will. When he brother cries, she cries.

He gives her a hug, and when he pulls away she bites her lip. "Sokka…"

He meets her gaze. "Maybe you're not supposed to be with person you thought you'd be with. That's what the Avatar said. Maybe you're supposed to find something else, and maybe it won't be better. In fact, it probably won't be better, but maybe it'll be just as good."

Katara takes a deep breath and it comes out shaky. "You'll find something better."

"Maybe."

* * *

><p>"What's this?"<p>

"Katara. It's an arrow."

"I know that, but what are you giving me one of your arrows for?"

"…"

"…"

"Fine. I want you to send it to your brother."

"Oh. But why can't you send—"

"Just do it."

"…fine. Any message to go with it?"

"Just the arrow."

"It'll be blank—"

"_Just the arrow._"

"Okay, Azula. Okay."

"…"

"…"

"Your brother, he'll understand."

* * *

><p>Katara is reading a scroll, Tomkin's massive head in her lap.<p>

Zuko is sitting not far from her, scratching Sang behind the ears and occasionally inspecting the necklace she carved for him. He'd opted to get rid of the ribbon and put the pendant on a chain. They both agreed that it looked better.

They're in the library. Katara decides to break the quiet. "Zuko…"

"Hmm?"

"Do you think that, maybe, if I hadn't of shown up at the air temple, if we hadn't sorted everything out, do you think…do you think we would have eventually found other people?"

He gives her a surprised look. "Why are you asking?"

Katara shrugs. "It's just something that's been on my mind because of…things."

Zuko nods in understanding. "I think," he begins, eyes narrowing in thought, "that maybe we would have found the path that was best for us. Well, best for us if we couldn't have each other."

Katara places the scroll down at her side. "Do you think that that other path would have made us just as happy?"

Zuko stares at her for a long moment, hesitant to answer. "Who's to say," he finally responds, swallowing.

Katara lets out a deep breath, her head falling back against the wall.

But then Zuko smiles. "I'm pretty happy that we're both on _this _path though."

Katara returns his smile. "Agreed."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**This chapter is kind of short and sort of pointless? I still think I like it? Yeah.**

**First off, to everyone who left a review last chapter, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I am extremely lucky to have readers as awesome as you guys, because seriously, y'all put up with a lot from me and I really appreciate your patience. I know some of you were, ahem, **_**disgruntled **_**with me because of the last author's note, but still, I'm thankful that you left reviews anyway. Even if they were kind of unpleasant.**

**I suspect we only have three more installments to go *lip wobbles*. I'm hoping to have this wrapped up by the end of the year.**

**Also, Toph? Yes, no, maybe so? I had missed her, so I snuck her in. **

**Hope everyone enjoyed and let me know what you think! :D**


	25. Wedding Bits

**A/N:**

**So, uh, I ended up doing three POV's for this chapter, none of which we've seen before. So yeah.**

* * *

><p>It's a lovely morning!<p>

Then again, Avatar Aang _not _finding a morning lovely is a very rare occasion indeed.

He wakes up, meditates, eats delicious fruit grown by local farmers, and then hums to himself as he works through waterbending and firebending forms.

He picks these particular elements in honor of today.

Just as he's finishing up he spots Sang, Prince Zuko's wolf, trotting ahead of his master.

Avatar Aang smiles because Prince Zuko looks like he's going into shock.

Oh how the Avatar _loves _weddings and the peculiar mental state they make people go into!

"Prince Zuko!" he calls out, waving a hand to his former apprentice. "You look as if you're in need of counseling, so won't you come and join me?"

Zuko freezes, as if he wasn't expecting to be spotted out and about this early. "Okay," he says, voice higher than normal.

Avatar Aang sits down in the cool grass and gestures for Zuko to sit across from him.

After the Prince settles himself, Avatar Aang places his hands on his knees and gives Zuko a calm smile. "And how are you feeling this morning?"

Prince Zuko is already sweaty. "I'm…I'm fine."

"Is that so?"

Zuko nods, clearly lying.

"Zuko, it is perfectly normal to be nervous on your wedding day."

Zuko's eyes widen, but then he clears his throat and averts his gaze. "Last night I was ecstatic," he grumbles.

Avatar Aang shakes his head slightly. Young people were always funny like this on their wedding days. They were always fretting over things that in the long run didn't matter.

"Doubt, Prince Zuko, is something we only feel before the times where we must be one hundred percent confident with ourselves. The true test is whether or not we have enough confidence to overcome doubt."

After a beat Zuko's head tilts back in the Avatar's direction.

"But Avatar Aang, I don't doubt my desire to get married, and I definitely don't doubt my feelings for Katara. I just doubt my abilities to stay conscious for the entirety of the ceremony."

The Avatar tugs on his wispy chin beard in thought. "Prince Zuko, there is a special kind of sap that we airbenders will sometimes take before stressful events—"

"Uh, no thank you."

Avatar Aang can't help a mischievous smile. "Are you certain?"

"Uh huh. I think I just need to throw up." Zuko _is _starting to look a little green.

Avatar Aang nods. "You do what you must do. And Prince Zuko, if you faint in the middle of your wedding ceremony to young Katara, you need not worry! I'll make sure to catch you."

xxx

Sometimes Avatar Aang forgets that the rest of the world sees him as an old man.

After all, he himself still feels quite young. He's in wonderful physical condition and his mind is sharper than most.

However, young Sokka manages to occasionally make him feel _old_. It's probably because Avatar Aang finds himself giving out more wisdom to young Sokka then he has to anyone else.

Although Prince Zuko could give Sokka a run for his money.

The Avatar spies Sokka leaning against a tree, yawning and grumbling.

"Good morning, young Sokka! Are you as excited for the day's festivities as I am?"

Sokka sighs and gives him a bleary look. "No."

Avatar Aang doesn't let this deter his smile. "It's your sister's wedding."

"I still hate weddings."

Avatar Aang almost laughs. Young people _always _hate weddings. He supposes that it's because it isn't until they're older that they really appreciate the peacefulness that solitude can provide.

But the Avatar doesn't laugh. Instead, he says, "Perhaps one day you'll learn to appreciate them."

Sokka shrugs one shoulder and glowers at the ground. "What's to appreciate?" he snaps.

The Avatar moves forward so that he his standing next to his apprentice. "Well, weddings are, in essence, a celebration of love. I can't speak for you, young Sokka, but I find love a wondrous thing to behold. After all, it is love that reminds us that this world is not such a terrible place to live it."

He pats Sokka on the back and walks away. He is answered in silence.

This makes Avatar Aang grin and he has to force himself not to do a jig in Sokka's eyesight.

To hush up young Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe is a tremendous feat indeed!

* * *

><p>Ke Ke cannot stop wiggling.<p>

She's just so _excited_.

She's been waiting for this day for months. She can't wait to see her Uncle Zukey and her new Auntie Kat-Kat get married and live happily ever after like in all of her fairytale scrolls. And Ke Ke bets that her new Auntie Kat-Kat is going to look _so _pretty in her dress and her Uncle Zukey will look _so _handsome and Ke Ke wonders what kind of kiss he'll give Auntie Kat-Kat at the end of the ceremony.

Ke Ke feels that kisses look nice, overall. Sometimes they're icky, but that's only when she catches Daddy kissing Mommy.

Daddy has made her promise to stay seated while he goes off and talks to Grandpappy Iroh. Ke Ke doesn't necessarily mind sitting, it's just that she can't sit _still._

Someone sits down next to her. "Quit moving around."

Ke Ke nearly falls out of her chair with joy. "AUNTIE AZULA!"

Azula rolls her eyes and looks down at her, shaking her head. "Ke Ke, what did I say? I'm not your aunt. I'm your cousin, your second cousin, actually.

But Ke Ke just grins and grabs a hold of Azula's hand. "You're so silly, Auntie Azula."

Azula gives her a withering look, but Ke Ke is unfazed. "Uncle Zukey told you about my special job, right?"

Azula looks unimpressed. "You're handling the flowers." At Ke Ke's extremely wide grin she narrows her eyes. "They're just flowers."

Ke Ke only squeals and holds her hands against her chest. "I _love _flowers. And these are wedding flowers!"

"Mmhmm."

Azula pulls her hand out of Ke Ke's grip before straightening her position and facing forward. She looks stern, which Ke Ke thinks is silly because Auntie Azula is super pretty and should smile and let her hair down all the time.

Azula crosses her arms over her chest and frowns, eyeing the front of the crowd, where the ceremony would take place, with distaste.

Ke Ke decides that this won't do. She latches onto Azula's arm and cuddles into her side, and when Azula tries to shake her off Ke Ke is relentless and holds on tight.

Finally her Auntie Azula stills, and though she doesn't smile, Ke Ke happily notes that she has stopped frowning.

xxx

Ke Ke is _appalled _to discover that her new Auntie Kat-Kat is _not _wearing a poufy princess dress!

And it's not red, it's _blue_.

This is an abomination, which Ke Ke quietly lets her two dolls know all about, right in the middle of the ceremony.

Daddy gently grips her elbow. "Do I need to take you away from here?" There's sternness in Prince Lu Ten's voice, but Ke Ke only smiles up at him and shakes her head.

She would have to finish ranting about Auntie Kat-Kat's questionable wedding dress choice to her dolls later.

She forces herself to focus on the ceremony, even though this part is _super _boring.

It's just a bunch of talking. No kissing as of yet, and Ke Ke's turn with the flowers isn't for a little while.

She puts her head in her palms and leans forward, staring down at the grass. It's warm out, but not _too _warm, and the sun is shining, but not _too _brightly. Daddy says that its lovely weather for a wedding, although Mommy points out that rainy weather on a wedding day is good luck, that it hints at a fruitful marriage.

Ke Ke doesn't understand why rain on a wedding day would mean that the marrying couple would be eating more fruit, but decides not to say anything.

And then Daddy is nudging her and Ke Ke knows what that means! She's out of her seat in a flash, grabbing the fire lilies from Mommy and practically running up to where Uncle Zukey and her new Auntie Kat-Kat are standing.

As she reaches them she slows down and quietly hands Uncle Zukey the flowers, suddenly feeling shy, knowing that all the people sitting behind her are watching.

"Thank you, Ke Ke," Uncle Zukey says. Ke Ke nods, smiles at them both, and then rushes back to her seat.

By the time she reaches it, Uncle Zukey has already placed the fire lilies throughout Auntie Kat-Kat's hair.

Ke Ke grins and decides that it's okay that her new Auntie Kat-Kat isn't wearing a princess dress. The fire lilies make her glow regardless.

* * *

><p>Toph likes sunsets.<p>

People tell her that they're pretty, but of course she wouldn't know, nor does she care.

Toph likes sunsets because she can literally feel the earth cooling underneath her bare feet.

She's standing right on the outer line of the after party, happily eavesdropping on people's conversations and enjoying the sunset. They're at the Western Air Temple, since Zuko and Katara both agreed not to have the wedding at either the South Pole or the Fire Nation Capitol as to not show preference. The downside to this is the complete lack of decent, hearty Earth Kingdom food, in Toph's opinion.

Suddenly there's clapping, a bunch of people start cheering, and the music starts to pick up, so Toph assumes that guests have started dancing.

Then someone shuffles over to her. Toph can tell it's a male by the heavier footsteps, and at first she thinks it's some poor bastard who thinks he can finagle her into dancing with him.

She nearly pops her knuckles with delight. This would be fun.

Except the man doesn't approach her. He stands off to her left and doesn't speak.

Toph shifts her weight so that she's leaning towards him and listens with all of her senses. His heartbeat is sturdy, but his breathing isn't. She's quite sure that she's never actually met this person face to face.

And then she hears it: sniffling.

She nearly shakes her head before breaking the silence. "What's got you bummed? Weddings are joyous events." She turns her head in his direction.

Toph feels him jump, and she smiles because she obviously startled him. It always amuses her when people think she doesn't know that they're there.

"That they are," he says. Toph notices that his voice is pleasant and deep. She frowns, it sounds like _another _voice that she knows, although they aren't the same. Perhaps the two are related?

"Crying out of happiness?" she counters, somewhat frustrated that she has yet to figure out who this is.

"Mostly," the man admits. "But it's a bittersweet day for me." There's a smile in his voice, and after a beat Toph realizes that he's probably watching someone.

The man softly says something to himself, probably thinking that Toph wouldn't catch it. Of course she does. _Wish you were here._

His identity clicks into place, but for once Toph does not feel smug with herself. She sends a small smile in the man's direction instead.

"Your daughter will be happy. She _is _happy." Toph clears her throat, having said what she needed to say, and crosses her arms over her chest.

"Thank you." There's a long stretch of silence, and Toph thinks that they're finished talking.

"I just wish her mother could see her like this," Hakoda says, voice barely above a whisper.

Toph shrugs one shoulder. "I'm sure she knows. Take it from me, you don't have to _see _something to know."

xxx

Toph awakes with a jerk. It's near sunrise; she can tell by the way the floor is starting to warm up beneath her.

She briefly flirts with the idea of rolling over and going back to sleep. But no, she has to pee _way _too badly.

There's a steady snoring to her right, which would be Sokka. She can feel the steady heartbeats of two people lying to her left, in the corner of the room. One is Mai, Toph can tell by the fact that she never moves in her sleep, and the other is some bubbly circus chick who's name Toph never managed to catch.

The Avatar had introduced the two ladies to Sokka last night, in hopes of what Toph wasn't so sure.

All they ended up getting buzzed, playing a riveting game of Truth or Dare, making inappropriate jokes about what "position" the newly married couple were currently in (except for Sokka, who covered his ears whenever a joke was made), and then crashing out in one of the multiple spare rooms the Western Air Temple has at its disposal.

Toph gets to her feet and is out of the room with ease. She walks down the hall, resisting a yawn, when she nears the bedroom that the freshly married couple is staying in. She's prepared to hurry past, since she has a pretty good idea of what's going on in there and doesn't particularly want to hear it.

Toph is surprised to hear a conversation instead.

"—love you _so _much," she hears Katara say.

Zuko answers with something disgustingly sappy, but then his voice lowers in suggestion and Katara giggles in a scandalized way.

Toph doesn't need sight to be able to picture what they're doing. They're lying in bed, assuredly in the nude, and cuddling and acting all lovey-dovey in their marital bliss.

It's nauseating.

Toph pauses and instantly recognizes the footsteps that are attempting to sneak up behind her. She turns around and faces Sokka.

He balks. "Why are you listening in on my baby sister and her new husband?" he whisper shouts.

She shrugs. "Well, I had to pee, so I naturally had to walk past them. And instead of overhearing them doing it, they were talking. And I couldn't just _not _stop and listen in on their conversation."

Sokka moves forward and puts a hand on the small of her back, gently nudging her away from the door. Toph blinks, surprised by the gesture. "Yeah, yeah, alright. I'm going."

When they're finally outside and heading toward the outhouses, Toph looks in Sokka's direction and goes, "It's official, I'm never getting married."

"Really?" he sounds somewhat surprised. "You too?"

"Why aren't _you _ever getting married, Snozzles?" she asks, smiling.

"Too much hassle," he says, and Toph detects a slight hint of bitterness in his voice. "Also, girls suck. No offence."

"It's okay. Guys are assholes. But you can take offence to that."

Sokka snorts. "Hey, do you want to be my We're Never Getting Married Friend?"

Toph shrugs. "Didn't realize that there was a club, but sure."

Sokka shifts a little bit so that he's walking closer to her. Toph smiles.

xxx

After Toph finishes up with her business and starts walking back to the room, the earth is warm underneath her feet.

Toph likes sunrises too.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**Hope none of you are too upset with me for skirting around a typical wedding chapter. I wanted to mix it up a bit and I hope I achieved that. Had a lot of fun with these POV's, not going to lie. The next chapter we will definitely be back to our regularly scheduled Zuko POV, promise.**

**Also, I've decided that I'm going to post up the Sokka/Azula one-shot as its own piece, so unfortunately there's only going to be one chapter left. Hope this doesn't bum you guys out too much. I've had the ending planned **_**forever, **_**though, and can't wait for you guys to read it. :D**

**I want to wish everyone a Happy Hanukkah and a Merry Christmas! Hope it's lovely! And thank you again, readers, lurkers, everyone, for supporting this story and loving it despite my crazy. I truly appreciate it. **


	26. Twenty Five and Twenty Seven

Zuko still hates sea prunes.

It's the texture that bothers him more than anything. It's sort of rubbery, and maybe kind of slimy. Either way, it doesn't go down easy. Zuko would know, Katara has coaxed him into trying it a couple of times, claiming that the human taste buds change over time.

But they're still disgusting.

And they taste like fish shit.

However, in the three years that Zuko has spent in the Southern Water Tribe, he's discovered that he quite likes a lot of their cuisine.

Like smoked seaweed, ice pops, seal jerky, and elk. Actually elk is quickly becoming his favorite, and Zuko has developed a flare for hunting. Whenever Sokka visits they make a formidable team.

Zuko has also become fairly popular amongst the citizens of the Southern Water Tribe. He's most often described as a grumpy yet loveable man who has a not-so-nice temper when pushed to the brink. Zuko is not entirely fond of these descriptions but is just glad that the people don't hate him.

After all, he is the Chief.

In title only of course, Katara holds the majority of the power in terms of political decision making. But Zuko helps out as much as he possibly can, and he and Katara actually share an office.

Katara…

Being married to her is _fun. _Sometimes she does get cranky and Zuko occasionally finds himself sleeping on the floor, or, if Sokka is in town, staying with his best friend.

Granted, Katara's reasons for being cranky are justified. Like the time when Zuko and a tribal elder got into a physical fight over whether or not Sang could accompany Zuko into Councils, and the time when Zuko accidentally burned down part of his and Katara's house in the middle of the night during their first year of marriage.

(The latter was not entirely his fault. Sometimes Zuko just gets too hot, and Katara hadn't been helping considering where her mouth had been at the time.)

Then, of course, there are the Dark Months. Those aren't so fun. But Zuko survives. His body understands that the sun is _there_, just hidden for a little while. He still firebends just fine, but the intensity of it is reduced, like it always is during the night time. Even still, Zuko would be a liar if he said he didn't feel extreme relief when the Dark Months are over and the sun reveals itself once more. But in the end Zuko doesn't really mind.

Zuko is a happy man.

He figures he's luckier than most.

* * *

><p>"Have you been feeling sick lately?" Zuko asks Sokka, twirling smoked seaweed around his chopsticks.<p>

Sokka pushes the meat in his mouth into his cheek and answers around it. "Nah. Why?"

Zuko gives a half shrug. "It's just Katara."

They're at one of the eateries in the middle of the vast city, and technically with their high status amongst the tribe they could get a more private table. But neither of them really care.

Aside from meat, Sokka has dried fruit and something dark green that Zuko has never had the nerve to try before on his plate. It's the healthiest thing Zuko has seen Sokka eat in eons. The Avatar is rubbing off on Sokka more then he realizes.

"Why do you ask?" Sokka says after swallowing.

Zuko frowns pensively. "She's just been throwing up at random times lately, and she's always tired. And it's like she's _planning _something. It's so weird. I was thinking if you knew of a bug that's going around, or if you had been feeling funny."

Sokka shakes his head. "Nope. I'm healthy as an ostrich-horse." He and Zuko shrug at each other before going back to their meals.

Approximately two minutes later both men freeze at the same time.

"I'm going to kick your _ass_," Sokka exclaims, chopsticks clamoring down onto his plate.

Zuko's mind is too blown for him to comprehend how asinine that is. His chest is already heaving. "Agni…" His vision starts to tunnel and he grips the edge of the table so hard he singes it. "Katara is going to _kill _me."

Sokka pauses in his ass-kicking tirade, confused. "Why?"

"Because I'm not supposed to know before she tells me!"

Sokka instantly goes into best-friend-slash-brother-in-law-mode. "Deep breaths, Zuko. Do _not _throw up. I cannot handle you puking right now." He leans forward and grips Zuko's shoulders. "Okay, here's what's going to go down. You'll wait, alright? You'll wait until she tells you yourself because knowing my sister she's got a whole _thing _planned out. And you're going to act surprised."

Zuko has broken out into a sweat, despite the cold weather. "I don't think I can pretend not to know. And isn't she supposed to tell me first? I'm not supposed to find out before she tells me! Isn't her telling me she's pregnant with my child supposed to be an event? Some joyous _thing?_"

Sokka flings a hand into the air and huffs. "Why are you asking me like I'm supposed to know, Zuko? There is not an illegitimate mini-Sokka out there! I have no experience in this matter!"

Zuko turns his chair so that he can place his head between his knees. Sokka gets up and pats him on the back reassuringly.

"Just pretend not to know," Sokka reasons before pausing for a moment. "Dad is going to be so excited."

* * *

><p>"What's going on?"<p>

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You're my husband, Zuko. I know when you're being weird. You've been pouring over law scrolls for the past three days like it's your new mission in life."

"I didn't realize that understanding the Southern Water Tribes laws was _weird_—"

"I—it's just…you're acting funny when you do it!"

"You're paranoid."

"I am not! And you know it's not just you who's acting weird. I saw Sokka in the market today and instead of saying hi to me he and turned and sprinted in the other—_Why do you look so panicked, Zuko?_"

"I don't!"

"You just _twitched!_"

"Sokka and I don't know anything! Stop asking me questions!"

* * *

><p>"Can I hide out here for a little while?"<p>

Gran Gran turns and regards him with amusement. "Perhaps you should tell Katara that you know she's pregnant."

Zuko's mouth drops open. "How'd you know?"

Gran Gran gives him a withering look that makes him bow is head. "Right, never mind."

"You'd be better off telling her that you know," the old woman advises. "Who told you not to tell her anyway? Wait, don't answer that. It was my grandson. I'll have to have a word with him. And what are you doing standing up? Sit down. I'll make you some lunch."

Minutes later there is a bowl of hot stew in Zuko's hands. "Thank you."

Gran Gran smiles at him warmly. "You're welcome, son."

A moment of companionable silence stretches between them before Gran Gran speaks again. "It's a girl. I know these things."

Zuko instantly thinks of a mini-Katara, but maybe she'll have his eyes. What will they call her? Nervousness twists in his belly. To be responsible for another human being is _huge_. What if he's bad at it?

"How can you be sure?" he prods, now imagining a boy. Maybe he'll firebend. But, Agni help him, what if he's like Sokka?"

There's a knowing twinkle in Gran Gran's blue eyes. "There are some things that we old folks just know, Chief Zuko. I suspect it's because being so close to death means we're closer to the Spirit World. We get intuitions."

"You just want a great-grand-daughter that you can knit pink baby slippers for."

Gran Gran grins. "That too."

* * *

><p><em>Chief Zuko!<em>

_I hope this finds you well, and I hope that you are as happy as you were the last time I wrote to you. I have just recently gotten a certain feeling, an intuition if you well, straight from the Spirit World. Enclosed is a gift I hope you find useful in the near future._

—_Avatar Aang_

Zuko opens the package and then peers inside.

It's a set of blue baby slippers.

* * *

><p>Sang loves the snow, but he's old now. The cold creeps into his bones and clings there.<p>

Zuko is pouring over a law scroll that dates back two hundred years ago, his eyebrows pulling together in concentration.

Sang whines and nuzzles his neck.

"Not now," Zuko says softly, trying not to be distracted.

Sang's next whine is louder than the first, and he licks Zuko's neck instead of nuzzling it.

Sighing, Zuko rolls up the scroll and glances at his wolf. "Yes?"

Sang turns his head and stares out straight ahead. The sun is setting and casting exquisite colors over the tundra.

Zuko relaxes, suddenly at ease.

He reaches out and scratches behind Sang's ears. "It's pretty, huh boy?"

The wolf's mouth opens, his tongue drooping out as he happily pants. Zuko swears he's grinning.

* * *

><p>He's shaking, mostly from terror, but some of it is excitement as well.<p>

He's sitting in a chair in the opening room of their home, waiting for Katara to come home from speaking with Hakoda about something or another.

When she finally walks through the door, Tomkin right behind her, he resists the urge to hide under the bed.

He should have just stuck to pretending he didn't know.

Katara sets her water skins down onto the ground before looking over at him. She immediately straightens up. "What's wrong?"

"N-Nothing."

She quirks an eyebrow and crosses his arms over her chest. Now that Zuko knows what to look for, he can see a slight roundness to her stomach that wasn't there before.

He decides to just go for it. "The other night you were wondering why I was looking over the law scrolls."

She nods, eyes narrowing slightly. "Uh huh."

And here comes the fun part. Zuko swallows against sudden nausea. He hopes that she isn't going to be too upset. "I was thinking about what title our child should have—"

Katara groans. "You _know?_"

Zuko nods slowly. "Sokka and I figured it out."

Disbelief crosses her face before it's replaced with disappointment. "I was knitting these baby slippers to give to you, and then I was going to cook and it was going to be a moment!" She sighs and slumps down into a chair.

A slow smile spreads across Zuko's face. "Baby slippers? What color?"

"Yellow, since there's no telling the sex of the baby until it's born."

"Well, between you, Gran Gran and the Avatar, our child will have colorful feet."

Katara's eyes nearly pop out of her skull. "They know _too?_"

Zuko holds both of his hands up. "I didn't tell them," he assures her, having to bite his lip to keep from chuckling.

Katara's cheeks tinge pink with embarrassment. "Obviously I can't hide anything." She meets his gaze. "Wait, what were you saying about the law scrolls?"

The balls of Zuko's feet start bouncing against the floor in sudden excitement. "Okay, well, I talked to the elders and they wouldn't let me change your title from Chief's Wife to Princess Katara because of _tradition _and silly things like that—"

The sudden look of shock on her face is worth every bit of anxiety that Zuko had been experiencing minutes before.

"—but they did agree to change the title for our kids. So if it's a boy he'll be a Prince, and if it's a girl she'll be a Princess. And I'm having a crown made for them, with actual jewels this time since I don't think flowers are going to cut it—"

She's in his lap so fast she nearly knocks the breath out of him. Her arms circle around his neck and she buries her face in the nook between his neck and shoulder. Zuko breathes in the scent of her hair and sighs in contentment.

"I love you," she whispers against his skin.

He places multiple kisses on the top of her head. "I love you, too," he murmurs.

"I'm excited," she says, and he can feel her smile against his throat.

He holds her against him and rests his hands on her lower back. "Me too. It's just…"

She pulls away so that she can look him in the eye. "What?" She suddenly looks nervous and unsure.

Zuko traces circles against her back reassuringly. "What if he's like Sokka?"

Katara smacks his shoulder lightheartedly. "What if _she's _like Azula?"

"Touché."

She grins before snuggling up against him again. They don't say anything else for some time. They don't need to.

Candles flicker in the corner, basking them in the same candlelight.

* * *

><p>Years later, when he is old and wrinkly and with a wife who is still the most beautiful person he's ever seen, Zuko concludes that the greatest thing that has ever happened to him is a little girl hitting him in the head with a yellow block.<p>

A spot on his forehead sometimes still throbs at the thought.

* * *

><p>THE END<p>

* * *

><p><strong>As you can see, for this ending I went to the fluffy point of no return and never looked back. I apologize for it being so short. It's much shorter then I had originally planned, but if I had added more then it would have been adding more just to add more, and I didn't want to do that.<strong>

**Readers—I cannot express how special you all made this story for me. This started out as me going, "I want to write kid!Zutara, and when they hit their teenage years I want to write a Ron/Hermione-esque Yule Ball-like scene. It'll be funny!" It was you guys who made this into something much bigger then I had originally planned, and for that I thank you. I don't think I could have finished this without everyone's constant encouragement, construction, and words of kindness. You're all amazing.**

**I don't have any sequels planned, with the exception of the Sokka/Azula one-shot that will be coming soon (hopefully).**

**I absolutely plan to write more Zutara. I can't seem to quit them. Next up is a WIP that's essentially the opposite of this, heh. Guess all the fluff and HEA got to me. So keep a look out!**

**Once again, thank you so much for reading and reviewing, and I hope you all enjoyed the story!**


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